Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Sunni Ahwazi Arab Activists

Plain-clothes agents from Iran’s intelligence services have on 6 May 2016 arrested a Sunni Ahwazi Arab activist, Sadeq Aal Khamis, aged 37 and father-of-two. 

Sadeq Aal Khamis: Arrested on 6 May 2016

According to informed sources his friend and fellow Sunni activist was also abducted by the authorities in the same day from his front door at about 5 pm on 6 March 2016 without even allowing him to change out of his pyjamas or take his eyeglasses.

 Two hours later, at around 7pm another group of armed men arrived at his home and confiscated his belongings including his computer, two mobile phones, books, pamphlets and IDs. They did not produce search warrant and declined to reveal his whereabouts.

Almost three months on, the revolutionary court and the intelligence services including Setade Khabari have refused to acknowledge his arrest or to reveal his fate.

Earlier this week the following Sunnis were also been arrested:

1. Saeed Beit Sayyah
2. Jaafar Obaidawi
3. Aqeel Koroshat
4. Rasheed Zabi

Iran has in recent years intensified its crackdown on Sunni Ahwazis by accusing and charging them, inter alia, with spreading propaganda against the system by promoting Wahhabism, questioning the official religion of the country, producing and distributing deviant books...