LONDON: Reports from Iran suggest authorities are set to clamp down on the city of Zahedan, the site of assaults on protesters in 2022 that left multiple people dead or injured.
Sixty-six people are known to have died after security forces opened fire on demonstrators on Sept. 30, a day subsequently known as “Bloody Friday,” at a march to protest the death earlier that month of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the country’s morality police for not wearing her hijab correctly.
A number of people told the Guardian that at least 15 checkpoints had been established across Zahedan, the capital of the southeastern Sunni-majority Sistan-Baluchistan province, and that multiple arrests had taken place.
One man named Mohammad told the paper: “All entrances and exits to and from the city have been blocked and they’ve set up checkpoints. We have no idea how many were detained (or) where they were taken.”
Farzin Kadkhodaei, a human rights activist from Baluchistan, said that police had started filming protesters in order to identify and arrest them later. “People are being abducted from homes, parks and, from Jan. 1, they’ve started making mass arrests. We don’t even know if they’re alive or dead.”
Kadkhodaei said that at least 114 people had been detained so far, at least one had been brutally tortured, and that families were forced to visit courts on the off chance of seeing their arrested relatives.
“The release of minors who have been arrested depends entirely on the mood of the guards that day,” he said. “They released a few teenagers and the rest are still in prison.”
One detainee, 18-year-old Shoaib Mirbaluchzehi-Regi, has reportedly been denied legal help and tortured into confessing to membership of an armed group. He now faces the death penalty, activists told the Guardian.
Sistan-Baluchistan has taken the brunt of much of the Iranian regime’s response to the protests.
One demonstrator, identified only as Sara, told the Guardian: “Security forces have been attacking the Baloch areas for about two weeks. At least 15 checkpoints have been set up in and around our city this week. They will try to threaten us and we are not going to be afraid.
“This government has discriminated against the Balochis, Kurds, Sunnis, Baha’is and other national minorities since the beginning (of the Islamic Republic). But these discriminations are more painful in (Sistan-)Baluchistan. Because they are both Baloch and Sunni, and Baluchistan is the poorest region of Iran.”
Skylar Thompson, head of advocacy at Human Rights Activists in Iran, said facts on the ground about the situation in Zahedan were hard to confirm.
“We don’t have information that the city is under siege but it is the only place in Iran where the protests are continuing,” she told the Guardian. “It’s true that the atmosphere in the city does feel rather unsafe. We have noted that there are more checkpoints in the city. But I think that this is due to the appointment of a new governor.”
Activists fear Iranian crackdown imminent in city of Zahedan
https://arab.news/4vhh6
Activists fear Iranian crackdown imminent in city of Zahedan
- The capital of Sistan-Baluchistan was the site of massacre of 66 protesters on ‘Bloody Friday’ in September
- Residents say checkpoints have been set up around the city, and that many people have been detained
Japan, UNOPS sign $4.6m project to restore customs capacity at major Yemeni ports
- The notes for the project were signed and exchanged in Riyadh on Thursday
RIYADH: Japan and the United Nations Office for Project Services have signed an agreement for a new grant aid project aimed at improving customs functions at key ports in Yemen.
The notes for the project were signed and exchanged in Riyadh on Thursday by Yoichi Nakashima, Japan’s ambassador to Yemen, and Muhammad Usman Akram, representative and director of the UNOPS Operational Hub in Amman. The grant amounts to 732 million yen (approximately $4.6 million).
The initiative, titled “The Project for the Improvement of Customs Functions at Major Ports,” seeks to address mounting operational challenges facing Yemen’s customs authorities after years of conflict.
Officials said damage to cargo inspection infrastructure, particularly X-ray screening systems, has significantly reduced inspection capacity at customs facilities. As a result, only about 20 percent of cargo entering through affected ports can be scanned, while the remaining shipments are subject to manual inspection.
This imbalance has contributed to prolonged clearance times and increased risks, including the potential smuggling of weapons, narcotics and other prohibited goods, according to statements delivered at the ceremony.
The project will focus on three major entry points: Aden Sea Port in Aden Governorate, Al-Shihn Land Port in Al-Mahra, and Al-Wadiah Land Port in Hadramout.
Under the agreement, Japan will fund the rehabilitation of X-ray inspection systems and the provision of modern detection equipment. The program also includes capacity development measures, including specialized training for Yemeni customs officials.
Speaking at the event, Nakashima said the project was designed to strengthen the operational capabilities of the Yemeni Customs Authority over an 18-month period. Improving inspection efficiency would help accelerate procedures while reducing reliance on manual checks.
Strengthening customs systems was expected to facilitate smoother trade flows and improve the handling of humanitarian shipments, which remain critical amid Yemen’s ongoing humanitarian crisis, he added.
UNOPS representative Akram described the agreement as a significant step forward in supporting Yemen’s customs authorities through Japanese funding.
“Today marks a significant step forward in strengthening the Yemeni Customs Authority through vital and much appreciated funding from our longstanding partner, the Government of Japan,” he said during the ceremony.
He added the project aimed to address key operational challenges facing the Yemen Customs Authority and enhance efficiency by strengthening institutional capacity in cargo inspection and clearance procedures.
According to Akram, the initiative is expected to reduce the time and costs associated with importing goods into Yemen, including humanitarian assistance.
To achieve these objectives, UNOPS will draw on its procurement expertise to acquire cargo inspection devices and critical spare parts required to restore existing vehicle and container scanners, alongside other necessary equipment.
Akram added that the program will also include capacity-building and training components to support effective operationalization of the upgraded systems.
He said Yemen had a historical role as a major trading crossroads linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, describing the measures under the project as an important step toward revitalizing and modernizing the country’s customs infrastructure.
The improvements, he said, were expected to facilitate trade, strengthen revenue collection and support the Yemeni government’s broader reconstruction and development priorities.
Akram also expressed appreciation to the Government of Japan for its continued partnership, as well as to Yemeni authorities for their cooperation in facilitating operational and logistical processes related to UNOPS projects.
“UNOPS remains committed to supporting the efforts of the Government of Yemen towards reconstruction and sustainable development with the valuable support of the international community,” he said.
Yemen’s Deputy Finance Minister Hani Wahab welcomed the agreement, describing the project as a major step in improving customs infrastructure and operational efficiency.
Speaking during the ceremony, he said the initiative would contribute to modernizing automated inspection systems, providing spare parts for equipment and supporting personnel training. He added improved customs capacity would help facilitate trade, strengthen revenue collection and combat the trafficking of illegal goods.
Nakashima also highlighted Japan’s broader development engagement with Yemen, saying the country had provided technical support in customs management through training programs implemented by JICA in recent years.
With the latest grant, total Japanese assistance to Yemen since 2015 has reached approximately $497 million. Japan said it would continue working with UN agencies and international partners to support peace and institutional resilience in Yemen.
