Bloody Friday Balochistan: Prominent cleric says No one can erase their memory from hearts of people
DOZZAAP (ZAHEDAN): During the Friday sermon at Makki Mosque in Zahedan, capital city of Iranian Occupied Balochistan, prominent Sunni cleric Maulavi Abdul Hamid Ismaeelzahi paid tribute to the victims of the “Bloody Friday” incidents in Zahedan and Khash.
Reflecting on the tragic events, he stated that the sacrifices made by innocent civilians will remain etched in the hearts and minds of the people forever, and no power can erase their memory.
Maulavi Abdul Hamid recounted that on the day of the Bloody Friday incident, civilians had come to the mosque solely to offer Friday prayers. He emphasised that they were unarmed, carrying only prayer mats, and had no intention of staging any protest. Despite this, [Iranian] military and security forces opened fire on them. In the aftermath, government authorities accused the victims of being linked to armed groups or separatist movements.
“Over time, the truth became clear,” he said. “It was proven that the civilians were innocent and that the government had made a grave error.”
The cleric also addressed the government’s response following the incident. He stated that once the innocence of the victims was acknowledged, government officials met with the affected families and offered blood money (diyah) as compensation.
However, most families rejected the offer and instead demanded qisas (retribution), as permitted under Islamic law. Although some suspects were sentenced to imprisonment by the courts, Maulavi Abdul Hamid and the families of the victims said the punishment was insufficient and failed to meet the standards of justice.
He also elaborated on a key meeting held on September 21, 2025, at Makki Mosque, which was attended by senior government officials and military commanders. The government had initially proposed holding the meeting in a state institution, but out of respect for Baloch traditions and the wishes of the bereaved families, it was held at the mosque. During the meeting, government representatives admitted their mistake and offered each family an amount of compensation exceeding the judicially mandated limit.
Maulavi Abdul Hamid noted that some families chose not to include their names in the official list of victims due to personal or tribal circumstances and entrusted the matter to divine justice.
He described the public apology by high-ranking government officials during the meeting as an unprecedented moment in Iran’s history.
“As long as we are alive, we will keep the memory of the martyrs of Zahedan and Khash alive,” he said in his concluding remarks. “They were martyred for justice and freedom and were unjustly killed by the security forces. No one can erase their memory from the hearts of the people.”
