IRAN: ARAB RIGHTS GROUP APPEALS TO UN AGAINST AHWAZI EXECUTIONS

the Ahwaz Human Rights Organization issued an appeal to Louise Arbour, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, protesting the imminent execution of six Ahwazi Arabs in Ahwaz, the provincial capital of Khuzestan in southwestern Iran. The news of their impending executions has come from their families, the Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Amnesty International, the Human Rights & Democracy Activists group and from Mr. Musa Pirbani, Khuzestan’s prosecutor. Rasoul Ali Mazrea (56), a UNHCR-registered refugee, married with 6 children, Ahmad Marmazi, (35), resident of Ma’shur, father of 2 children (the son-in-law of Rasoul Mazrea), Hamzah Sawari, 20 years old (his 2 brothers were executed last year), Zamel Bawi (in jail with his 3 other brothers), Abdulemam Zaeri, a 17 year old student, and Nazem Boryhi. Rasoul Mazrea, along with 4 other Ahwazis, was deported on May 2006 by the Syrian government to Iran. He is a mandate holding, UNHCR recognized political refugee.
The charges against them include hoisting the Ahwazi flag, naming their children Sunni names, converting from Shi'ism to Sunnism, preaching Wahabbism and being “Mohareb” or enemies of god, which carries death sentence. Other charges are “destabilizing the country”, “attempting to overthrow the government”, “possession of improvised explosives”, “sabotage of oil installations” “Stooges of the West, U.S., Israel, UK” and being a “threat to national security.”