According to a report by the Balochistan Human Rights Group, on the afternoon of Tuesday, 27 May, 2024, IRGC intelligence forces opened fire on a Peugeot Pars vehicle carrying five Baloch citizens near the village of Asipich in the central district of Saravan. As a result of the attack, one person was killed, and four others were arrested.
The deceased citizen has been identified as Mohammad Reza Mazarezehi, approximately 34 years old, son of Dad Rahman, a resident of Rahmatabad village in Sib and Soran County. One of the detainees has been named as Hassan Yazdani Kohan-Malek, around 26 years old, son of Mohammad Hossein, from the Jengizehi tribe. The identities of the other three individuals remain unknown at this time.
The report states that IRGC intelligence vehicles, including a Toyota Hilux, a Land Cruiser, and a Toyota 1600, had been present in Asipich village since the morning of the incident. Around 4 p.m., they pursued the civilians’ vehicle and opened fire. As a result of the shooting, the driver, Mohammad Reza, was fatally hit by multiple bullets and died instantly. The other passengers were violently arrested and taken to an undisclosed location.
Following the incident, state media claimed that these individuals were responsible for the murder of Colonel Alireza Shahraki, the head of Saravan Criminal Investigation Department, and his wife. However, this claim comes despite the fact that on May 2, 2023, the commander of Sistan and Baluchistan’s police force had already announced the “arrest of the assailants.”
A relative of the detained citizen, Hassan Yazdani, rejected the accusations by military officials and media, stating: *”While security forces are accusing them of Colonel Shahraki’s murder, Hassan was in Saravan prison at the time of the incident due to unpaid dowry.”*
It is worth noting that, apart from the deceased driver, none of the other individuals were armed, and the shooting occurred without warning. Additionally, it has been reported that Mohammad Reza Mazarezehi had been under surveillance for some time, while the others were arrested without any confrontation. The body of the slain citizen has not been returned to his family even after six days.
