On March 13, 2024, the Customs Office of Chabahar, accompanied by military forces, raided the Sorkh-e Rig neighborhood in the coastal area of Chabahar and evacuated 14 residential houses belonging to Baluch citizens without prior notice. They threw the residents’ belongings onto the street and declared their intention to demolish the houses soon. Military forces are present in the area to completely evacuate the residents.
It should be noted that the military forces, along with customs officers, forcibly evacuated residents from their homes, sometimes breaking down doors and sealing their houses. Furthermore, the military forces prevented filming of the events and violently confiscated the phones of women who were filming.
The owners of these houses had purchased them through promissory agreements from previous owners before the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran regime. Considering the age of the houses, which were built during the Shah’s era, this neighborhood, known as the Old Customs, has been famous since ancient times. It is located approximately 400 to 500 meters away from the Customs Office itself and has never been owned by the Customs Office. However, after nearly fifty years, the Islamic Republic’s Customs Office has claimed ownership and, without a demolition order, raided, evacuated, sealed, and collected electricity and water meters and postal codes.
During the year 2023, according to received reports, various security and governmental institutions of the Islamic Republic of Iran have demolished houses and confiscated people’s lands in at least twenty-one cases in five cities in Baluch areas. Most of these actions have taken place in Chabahar with eight cases and Zahedan with seven cases.
