2024 Report Highlights Violence and Rights Abuses in Iranian Occupied Balochistan

BW News Desk: The Baloch Activists Campaign’s 2024 annual report has revealed alarming statistics on escalating violence and human rights violations in Balochistan, including mass executions, military violence, and deaths linked to systemic economic marginalisation of Baloch youth.

101 Baloch Prisoners Executed in Iranian Prisons

At least 101 Baloch prisoners, including individuals from Baloch-majority regions, were executed in Iranian prisons in 2024, according to the report. Among those executed were a Baloch woman and one juvenile offender.

The data indicates that 73 of the executed prisoners faced charges related to drug offences, while 28 were executed for murder. The report also noted that seven death row prisoners escaped execution after receiving pardons from the victims’ families.

236 Baloch Civilians Killed or Injured by Military Gunfire

Military operations and landmine explosions by the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) along Balochistan’s borders claimed the lives of 122 Baloch citizens and injured 114 others. Among the victims were 8 women and 14 children who were killed, while 7 women and 8 children sustained injuries.

The report also recorded the deaths of 8 Afghan nationals and injuries to 16 others in similar incidents. A specific landmine explosion at the Kalagan border in Saravan reportedly caused dozens of casualties, though exact numbers remain unknown.

375 Fuel Carriers Killed or Injured

The report highlighted the precarious conditions faced by Baloch fuel carriers (Sukhtbar), with 240 deaths and 135 injuries reported in 2024. This marks a 54.67% increase compared to 2023.

Military gunfire and vehicle chases accounted for the deaths of 50 fuel carriers and injuries to 59 others.

Additionally, road accidents claimed 190 lives and injured 76 more. The casualties also included 11 children who were killed and 8 who were injured.

The report further documented incidents of landmine explosions that killed 2 fuel carriers and injured 5 others. Security forces reportedly fired on groups of fuel carriers in 21 incidents, confiscated goods in 11 cases, and arrested at least 7 fuel carriers.

The report underscores the systemic challenges faced by Baloch citizens, including violence by state forces, economic marginalisation, and a lack of accountability. Human rights organisations have called for urgent action to address these violations and improve living conditions in the region.

The escalating violence in Balochistan highlights the dire need for international attention to the plight of Baloch people and the broader human rights crisis in the region.