Human Rights Reports: 22 Ahvaz Inmates Executed in Iran

Iranian military officials and clerics attend a mass funeral for the victims of those killed during an attack on a military parade. AFP
Iranian military officials and clerics attend a mass funeral for the victims of those killed during an attack on a military parade. AFP
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Human Rights Reports: 22 Ahvaz Inmates Executed in Iran

Iranian military officials and clerics attend a mass funeral for the victims of those killed during an attack on a military parade. AFP
Iranian military officials and clerics attend a mass funeral for the victims of those killed during an attack on a military parade. AFP

Human Right activists confirmed on Sunday that Iran has executed Ahvaz inmates who were arrested last September in connection to an attack against a Revolutionary Guards military parade.

Sources said officials from the Iranian Intelligence contacted the families of 22 inmates, informing them of their execution and having them pledge not to hold any gathering or ceremonies, while authorities refused to hand over the bodies for proper burials.

Other sources close to the victims’ families said the 22 executed inmates were arrested on Sept. 24 by Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence in connection to the parade attack.

Human Rights Monitor website quoted activists in Ahvaz as saying that the office of the regime’s intelligence ministry contacted the families of the executed detainees on Nov. 10 to summon them at its headquarters.

“On their arrival, they were given their loved ones’ death certificates and ordered not to hold any funeral ceremonies or mourning rituals or to receive anyone at their homes for condolences,” the activists said, adding that the regime threatened to arrest anyone violating its orders.

The Revolutionary Guards had vowed to exact “deadly and unforgettable” vengeance for the attack on the parade that killed 25 people.

The assault was one of the worst ever against the most powerful force of Iran, as it struck a blow at its security establishment.

“Considering (the Guards’) full knowledge about the centers of deployment of the criminal terrorist leaders ..., they will face a deadly and unforgettable vengeance in the near future,” the Guards had said in a statement carried by state media.

Following the Sept. 22 attack on the parade, Iranian authorities waged a campaign against Ahvaz minorities, arresting hundreds in the Khuzestan province, according to the HRM website.



Thousands Protest Housing Crunch, High Rents in Barcelona

Demonstrators march to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Demonstrators march to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
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Thousands Protest Housing Crunch, High Rents in Barcelona

Demonstrators march to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Demonstrators march to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Thousands of Spaniards rallied in downtown Barcelona on Saturday to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in the popular tourist destination.
People held up homemade signs in Spanish reading “Fewer apartments for investing and more homes for living,” and “The people without homes uphold their rights.”
The issue has become one of the leading concerns for the southern European Union country, mirroring the housing crunch across many parts of the world.
The average rent for Spain has doubled in the last decade. The price per square meter has risen from 7.2 euros in 2014 to 13 euros this year, according to the popular online real estate website Idealista. The growth is even more acute in cities like Barcelona and Madrid. Incomes meanwhile have failed to keep up, especially for younger people in country with chronically high unemployment.
Protestor Samuel Saintot said he is “frustrated and scared” after being told by the owners of the apartment he has rented for the past 15 years in Barcelona’s city center that he must vacate the premises. He suspects that the owners want him out so they renovate it and boost the price.
“Even looking in a 20- or 30-kilometer radius outside town, I can’t even find anything within the price range I can afford,” he told The Associated Press. “And I consider myself a very fortunate person, because I earn a decent salary. And even in my case, I may be forced to leave town.”
A report by the Bank of Spain indicates that nearly 40% of Spaniards who rent dedicate an average of 40% of their income to paying rents and utilities, compared to the European Union average of 27% of renters in that strained economic circumstance.
“We are talking about a housing emergency. It means people having many difficulties both in accessing and staying in their homes,” said Ignasi Martí, professor for Esade business school and head of its Dignified Housing Observatory.