Protesters in Zahedan Hold Another 'Protest Friday': Khamenei, Have Some Shame, Leave the Country

A number of people in the city of Zahedan protested again on Friday, April 27, continuing the 'Protest Fridays' held over the past seven months, chanting anti-government slogans. In a video circulated on social media, protesters shouted 'Khamenei, have some shame, leave the country' and 'Mowlana Baqirat, your words are the words of the nation.' In another video, Zahedani protesters unanimously called for a 'referendum.' 'Brother of my martyr, I will take your blood back' is a slogan that was published in a video by the human rights organization 'Halosh.' Some images shared on social media also indicate that protests occurred in Fanuj simultaneously with the protests in Zahedan. The protests in Fanuj were held despite a heavy security atmosphere, in response to the killing of a 16-year-old boy by police forces. He was run over by police while riding a motorcycle on Tuesday night and died. The protests in Zahedan, like previous Fridays, took place after the Friday prayers led by Mowlavi Abdolhamid. Mowlavi Abdolhamid criticized Khamenei during this week's Friday sermon, stating that instead of a referendum, when we know what the outcome will be, it is better for officials to think about solutions and heed the people's demands. There was renewed shooting from police stations towards protesters in Sistan and Baluchestan; 6 were killed and injured in 'Fanuj.' Mowlavi Abdolhamid stated during Eid al-Fitr prayers: 'Protest is the right of the people; the government should heed the people's demands.' He also criticized certain clauses of the law that have paralyzed the country, and he mentioned that religious extremism has led the country to a deadlock. Mowlavi Abdolhamid noted that the dollar has risen from 7 tomans during the Pahlavi era to over 50,000 tomans now.