Double Discriminations against Arab Political Activists in Iran

Iranian government has repeatedly announced that freedom of expression is one of the civil rights for each Iranian, and ethnic minorities in Iran are not deprived of this right. And according to government officials, having cultural NGOs and cultural activities are also, and each Iranian citizen can promote and teach his/her own culture and language. But Iranian government has repeatedly violated these laws, depriving Iran's Arab speaking people from rights that have come in Article 19 of International Human Rights Organization: that is, freedom of expression. Meanwhile, many cultural and political activists, as well as supporters of freedom of expression, have been arrested on the charge of acting against the national security and insulting religious sanctities, and a number of these activists have been given death penalty.

Habibollah Rashedi, born in 1971 in city of Khalifa in the vicinity of Ahwaz (southern Iran), who was former member of the city council of Khalifa, was arrested in February 2011 with a large number of founders of Alhavar Cultural Institute.

Habibollah Rashedi in an interview with Article 19 has said that security forces have tortured them physically and mentally in secret locations [secret detention centers belonging to Iran's Intelligence Ministry]. Habibollah Rashedi had infuriated the security forces by his cultural activities and expressing his views on the necessity of preserving Arabic culture of Arab people in Ahwaz. He had been arrested several times by these forces for expressing his opinions and views regarding the right to absolute freedom to preserve Arabic culture of the region. But in February 2011, security forces raided the home of former member of the city council, and arrested him along with a large number of founding members of Alhavar Cultural Institute.

Eventually, Hadi Rashedi, Habibollah Rashedi's brother, and Hashem Shaabani were sentenced to death by Iran's Revolutionary Court, and Habibollah Rashedi was temporarily freed from jail. Habibollah Rashedi's temporary freedom provided a good opportunity for him to immigrate to Turkey, and seek asylum there.

Habibollah Rashedi announced in that interview that he has been victimized for expressing his opinions, and also said that during Hashem Shaabani's arrest in January 12, 2011, he couldn't inform human rights organizations outside Iran about it, due to lack of access to internet. More than 2 weeks after Hashem's arrest, Habibollah Rashedi and his brother Hadi Rashedi were also detained in his own house.

Arab people in Iran live in fear of police and security atmosphere, and this atmosphere has deprived people from expressing their opinions and views. In recent years, especially after Ahmadinejad's government took office, this atmosphere became more intensified, and a large number of political and cultural activists had to face death penalty, imprisonment and torture, as well as exile. With election of Hassan Rohani [to presidency], the conditions for freedom of expression not only did not improve, but the sentences of those activists who were condemned to death during Ahmadinejad's presidency were implemented during the so-called moderate government of Rohani.

At the end of this interview, Mr. Habibollah Rashedi said: for Arab people in Ahwaz, freedom of expression is like a fictional story about which they have just heard, but they have always been deprived of this blessing. Political and cultural activists in this region have never been safe enough, and security forces have had perfect maneuverability to confront these activists and other proponents of freedom of expression.

These activists are severely tortured in detention centers of security organization both physically and mentally, in a manner that many of them still have mental and physical problems even after being freed. For example, I can never forget the name and memories of my friend and brother Hadi Rashedi who was a cultural activist and one of the founders of Alhavar Cultural Institute. He was one of the victims of lack of freedom of expression and opinions in Iran who was arrested by the security forces and was later executed secretly along with Hashem Shaabani.

Kamil Alboshoka is a Human Rights activist, who is also studying MA in Human Rights law.He migrated to the UK in 2006 for political reasons, and has since began his work as an activist outside Iran. He is currently writing on the subject of human rights violations in Ahwaz. When he lived in Ahwaz, he worked with his friends at the Alhewar Cultural Organisation. However, the two founders of Alhewar have since been executed (in 2014).