According to the Balochistan Human Rights Group, on Sunday, May 11, 2025, hundreds of military forces, accompanied by Commander Javidan of the police and Prosecutor Ghahremani of Hormozgan Province, stormed Bandar Kolahi in Minab. They destroyed and set fire to the property of local fishermen and fuel carriers and entered the homes of Baloch citizens without presenting a court warrant.
The military forces moved in various groups through different neighborhoods of the city, violently ordering people to leave their homes and severely beating many citizens. In addition to creating an atmosphere of fear and heavy security, they also destroyed numerous fuel storage tanks.
The forces also entered residential homes, terrifying women and children, and proceeded to destroy household belongings. This happened while women and children were present, causing great fear. After storming the houses, they locked the women and children in a room, vandalized furniture, and threw clothes out of closets.
Under the pretext of confronting fuel carriers, the military forces stormed Bandar Kolahi and, during midday prayer time, desecrated the Mohammad Rasool Allah Mosque by breaking its lock, beating the mosque’s imam, and preventing local Sunni residents from holding midday prayers.
It is reported that Commander Javidan, along with the prosecutor of Hormozgan and a Shi’a cleric, entered the mosque and broadcast a Shi’a religious prayer (Du’a for the Reappearance of the Mahdi) over the mosque’s loudspeakers. This act sparked outrage among the residents of Bandar Kolahi and Kargan, plunging the area into intense unrest and tension.
Following the attack on Bandar Kolahi and the desecration of the mosque, after a protest statement was issued by Sheikh Hamzeh Malahi Pourkolahi, the local Sunni Friday Prayer leader, the head of Hormozgan’s judiciary, along with Commander Javidan and the regional police commander, forced the Sunni imam to appear in front of cameras in an attempt to portray that no disrespect had occurred.
These extrajudicial actions by military forces, accompanied by judicial officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran, have provoked public outrage. Baloch human rights activists have condemned the actions as violations of the country’s own laws. Entering citizens’ homes without a court order violates Articles 22 and 23 of the Iranian Constitution, which guarantee the sanctity of homes and personal dignity. The destruction and arson of fishing and fuel-related property without judicial process violate Articles 36 and 37, which require lawful court orders for punishment. The beating of citizens and entry into private homes in the presence of women and children violate Article 38 and Article 580 of the Islamic Penal Code, which prohibit torture and inhumane treatment. Preventing prayer and disrespecting a Sunni mosque violates Article 12, which guarantees the freedom of religious practice for recognized sects. Additionally, forcing the Sunni imam to make a staged appearance before cameras to distort the truth violates Article 9 of the Constitution, which prohibits political pressure on individuals.
