Four Years After Zahedan Bloody Friday: The Pursuit of Justice Continues
Four Years After Zahedan Bloody Friday: The Pursuit of Justice Continues
Four years have passed since the killing of Baloch civilians during Zahedan Bloody Friday, which took place on 30 September 2022, corresponding to 8 Mehr 1401, in Zahedan. The incident became one of the deadliest examples of the repression of Baloch civilians in recent years.
On that day, following Friday prayers, Baloch worshippers gathered peacefully near Makki Mosque in Zahedan to protest allegations that Ebrahim Kuchakzai, the police commander of Chabahar, had raped a 15-year-old Baloch girl. In response, security forces opened fire on the gathering and used live ammunition.
More than 100 civilians were killed and more than 300 others were injured during the crackdown. A significant number of the victims were worshippers, young people and other civilians who were present around Makki Mosque and the surrounding streets.
Zahedan Bloody Friday was not simply another violent episode during the 2022 protests. It represented serious violations of the right to life, the right to peaceful assembly, and the right of civilians to security and equal protection under the law.
Four years after the massacre, the families of those killed continue to seek truth and justice. Many have yet to receive clear answers regarding the use of live ammunition against civilians and the responsibility of those who carried out and ordered the crackdown.
From a human rights perspective, the families’ right to know the truth, to identify those responsible, to have the killings independently investigated, and to receive effective remedy cannot be disregarded.
Remembering Zahedan Bloody Friday means remembering the names and lives of more than 100 civilians who lost their lives, as well as the hundreds who were injured and continue to live with the consequences of the crackdown.
Four years have passed, but the pursuit of justice by the victims’ families continues.
Balochistan Human Rights Group (BHRG)
September 2026