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Since the new president of Iran Hasan Rohani took office two months ago, tens of Ahwazi Arab activists have been detained and subjected to torture and ill-treatment at the hands of security forces of the Islamic Republic. Several others have been sentenced to long prison sentences and exile. With the recent wave of death sentences passed, the number of death row prisoners has now risen to 11.

Press TV the state-owned and controlled English-language TV channel has lately said it will be broadcasting a new so-called documentary showing “confessions” by Arab activists admitting to subversive activities.

This state-managed show, as in previous occasions, indicates that the regime is preparing for a new wave of executions in Ahwaz.

Since the beginning of the year the Iranian Supreme Court has approved the death sentences of 11 Ahwazi Arabs who are currently being detained in Ahwaz Karoon prison. They are:

- Mohammed Amori, Hadi Rashedi, Hashem Shabani, Mokhtar Alboshokeh, Jaber Alboshokeh, Abdulreza Amir Khenafereh, Ghazi Abbasi, Abdulamir Mojadami, Jasem Mojadam, Ali Chebishat, and Seyed Yassin Mossavi.

The revolutionary court in Ahwaz in the past few days has passed long prison sentences and exile orders against 9 Ahwazi activists. Their names are as follows:

1-Hassan Naseri(20 years sentences), 2- Ahmad Debat(20 years sentences).3- Ali Kanani (20 years sentences).4- Abbas Sagorri (15 years sentences).5- Ahmar Kabbi (15 years sentences).

6- Jaffer Kabbi (15 years sentences).7- Sejad beyt Abdolla(15 years sentences).8- Yousef Khazerji(10 years sentences).9- Maher Kabbi(10 years sentences).

On 1st October the Iranian security forces arrested 15 Ahwazi Arab youth for holding Arabic poetry nights. They have since been held at the intelligence headquarter in harsh and inhumane conditions. The detainees are:

1. Muhammad Ali Alelah. 2. Mahbas Bureihi, 3. Ahmed Delfieh, 4. Habib Mazra'a, 5.Sajjad Cha'abawi, 6.Ahmad Karaji, 7.Hasan Bawi, 8.Hosein Bawi, 9.Saeed Karaji, 10. Hamed Rahmati, 11.Mohammad Fazeli, 12. Reza Arashk, 13.Karim Bereihi, 14.Jamal Jerbawi, 15.Mahmod Atabi.

The Ahwaz Human Rights Organisation (AHRO) condemns in the strongest terms these sentences and all other executions carried out by the Iranian regime against the Ahwazi Arabs and other ethnic groups and all Iranian citizens.

It appeals to all humanitarian organisations and international bodies in Iran and around the world to urge the Iranian authorities to immediately quash these sentences and halt all executions in accordance with human rights conventions, and to put an end to the suppression and ethnic cleansing of the Ahwazi Arabs by the Islamic Republic regime of Iran.

Ahwazi human rights organisation (AHRO)

October 2013