Baloch Youth Released from Zahedan Prison After 628 Days

DOZZAAP (ZAHEDEAN): A Baloch youth named Elyas Kohkan has been released from Zahedan Central Prison on bail after spending one year, eight months, and eighteen days behind bars.

The 21-year-old was freed on September 21, 2024, following his arrest on January 3, 2023, in the Siyahdak area of Zahedan—the capital of Iranian-occupied Balochistan.

According to the Baloch Activists Campaign (BAC), Elyas endured severe torture during his detention at the Intelligence Office before being transferred to prison.

Sources reported that Elyas was granted temporary release on bail despite his hardships. He was charged with “moharebeh” (waging war against God) and “ifsad fi al-ard” (corruption on earth).

The penalty for moharebeh in Iran is death by execution, and the Iranian government has already executed hundreds of Baloch individuals under this vague designation.

Tragically, Elyas’s family continues to suffer, as his father, Hamid Reza Kohkan, and two brothers, Benyamin and Idris Kohkan, remain in military custody and are still incarcerated.

Previously, the BAC reported that Iranian authorities had sexually assaulted at least six Baloch teenagers, including Elyas. It remains to be seen whether Elyas will confirm these state crimes and speak out against them.

The situation highlights ongoing concerns regarding human rights and the political repression of oppressed nations including Baloch, Kurds, Arab and people of South Azerbaijan by Iran.