Silent March in Zahedan; Abdulhamid: Our Path is Moderation and Balance

Molavi Abdulhamid, the Sunni Friday prayer leader of Zahedan, strongly condemned the attack on Police Station 16 during his Friday sermon on July 14. He referred to 'dialogue' as the best solution for the country's problems and the issues in Sistan and Baluchestan, but acknowledged that some have lost hope after years and no longer agree with this approach. Molavi Abdulhamid emphasized, 'Our path is one of moderation and balance, and we are staunchly opposed to extremism.' This prominent Sunni cleric stated, 'We believe that the security of the country must be maintained.' According to him, 'For us, Shia and Sunni or Muslim and non-Muslim do not matter; rather, humanity, rights, justice, and freedoms are what matter.' The Sunni Friday prayer leader of Zahedan reminded that the country's problems will be solved when officials agree to change and hand over responsibilities to 'the right people.' He added that military personnel can succeed in their own fields, while politicians can succeed in the political arena. According to the human rights organization Halosh, worshippers in Zahedan held the 41st 'Protest Friday' as requested by Molavi Abdulhamid with a silent march. Additionally, the 'Baluch Activists Campaign' reported, citing informed sources, that a heavy security atmosphere prevails in Zahedan, with military forces and snipers deployed around the mosque and prayer hall. Earlier reports indicated internet disruptions in Zahedan. Halosh also reported that on Friday, July 14, 2023, the internet in Zahedan and several other cities in Sistan and Baluchestan experienced severe disruptions, making it difficult for citizens to make calls. Shirahmad Shirani, a former political prisoner and editor of Halosh, stated that security forces have intensified the arrest of relatives of the Sunni Friday prayer leader of Zahedan and staff of the Maki Mosque to suppress protests in Zahedan and prevent him from continuing his critical sermons against the government. Shirahmad Shirani, in an interview with the special program 'Zahedan; Breath of the Movement' on Voice of America, emphasized that 'after the failed assassination plot against Molavi Abdulhamid became known and the suspect confessed to the attempted assassination of the Sunni Friday prayer leader of Zahedan, at least seven individuals from the Maki Mosque, including 'the grandson of Molavi Abdulhamid,' 'the filming team,' 'the security team,' and 'some students of the seminary' have been arrested by security forces, and there is still no news about their situation. He criticized the continued detention of 'Molavi Abdulmajid Moradzehi,' advisor to the Sunni Friday prayer leader of Zahedan, adding, 'In recent months, we have witnessed an increase in arrests and what can be described as 'mass arrests' of Baluchs and their executions, 95% of which are carried out on drug trafficking charges.'