Balochistan: Sharp Rise in Abduction and Killing of Baloch Citizens
BW News Desk: The Baloch Human Rights Documentation Network (Baloch Activists Campaign) has reported a sharp rise in arrests and casualties among Baloch citizens during the first month of 2026 amid nationwide protests across Iran.
According to the network, hundreds of Baloch citizens were detained during this period, with the identities of 125 confirmed. Most arrests occurred in Balochistan and other cities and among those detained were at least seven teenagers and nine women.
The protests have also led to at least 30 Baloch citizens and residents of Sistan and Balochistan being killed or injured by military gunfire. Of these, 16 lost their lives during nationwide demonstrations, including a child and a woman.
Among the victims was 22-year-old Mohammad Mahdi Salari, a seventh-semester electrical engineering student at Ferdowsi University in Mashhad. The resident of Kahnoj was shot and killed by Iranian forces on January 8, 2026, during protests in the Haft Teer area of Mashhad.
Another tragic case involved 14-year-old Husna Shahdosti, who was killed during protests in Bandar Abbas. Sources reported that her family, struggling financially, could not immediately pay the “blood money” (Haqq-e-Teer) demanded for the release of her body, delaying the handover of her remains by two weeks.
The Baloch Human Rights Documentation Network emphasised that these figures are likely conservative estimates. Due to restricted internet access, security pressures and difficulties in gathering information, additional cases may remain unreported.
The ongoing unrest highlights the severe human rights crisis faced by Baloch citizens, as protests continue to be met with violent crackdowns by Iranian security forces.
