Indictment Issued for 26 Individuals in Zahedan Shooting Case

Ahmadreza Pourkhaghan, the head of the Judicial Organization of the Armed Forces, announced on Thursday the issuance of indictments for 26 individuals involved in the incident on October 8 at the Zahedan prayer ground. During his visit to Sistan and Baluchestan province, he stated that a total of 26 indictments have been issued in this case, with 11 of the accused facing charges of shooting leading to murder and injury. This official from the Judicial Organization of the Armed Forces noted that indictments have also been issued for 15 others on charges of abuse of office, unlawful shooting, cancellation of orders, and acts of omission that occurred. On Friday, October 8 of last year, following the conclusion of the Sunni Friday prayers in Zahedan, a severe clash erupted between military forces and the public, resulting in the deaths of over a hundred people. This event, referred to as the 'Bloody Friday of Zahedan,' led to prominent Sunni cleric Molavi Abdolhamid increasingly criticizing the government and the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. He stated in November of last year that 'close to a hundred ordinary people were martyred, most of whom were shot inside the prayer ground, with bullets primarily hitting the head, heart, and chest.' Molavi Abdolhamid told Mohammad Javad Haj Ali Akbari, head of the Policy Council of Friday Prayer Leaders and representative of the Supreme Leader, that the protesting youth 'never' intended to seize the local police station and that there were 'armed individuals' and 'groups' among them, but they faced deadly force from the armed forces of the Islamic Republic. The father of Mohammad Sadiq Naroui, one of the victims of the Zahedan protests, questioned, 'Why were they shot in the head and chest?' Protesters in Zahedan chanted, 'We are all warriors, fight until we fight.' They also shouted, 'Basij and Sepah, you are our ISIS,' and 'Khamenei, have some shame and leave the country.' Abdul Ghafar Naqshbandi stated that the execution of dozens of Baluch citizens is a 'crime against humanity,' while Molavi Abdolhamid remarked that imprisoning and killing is not a solution.