In the wake of military strikes that have plunged Iran into armed conflict beginning Saturday,
and in this moment of grave uncertainty, the organizations that constitute the Impact Iran
coalition reaffirm, more than ever, their unwavering commitment to the protection and
promotion of the rights and dignity of all people in Iran.
We are deeply alarmed by the profound human cost this conflict is already imposing on a
civilian population that has long suffered under repression and instability. We call on all
parties to uphold their obligations under international human rights law and international
humanitarian law. The following principles must guide the actions of all stakeholders.

1. IRANIANS HAVE A RIGHT TO BE SAFE
   In the current situation of armed conflict, all warring parties must fully respect and fulfil their
   obligations under international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction
   between civilians and combatants, proportionality, precaution, necessity, and humanity. The
   lives and wellbeing of civilians must be protected without exception. International human
   rights law does not cease to apply in armed conflict — certain rights, including the right to
   life and the prohibition of torture, cannot be suspended under any circumstances, including
   declared states of emergency.
   We are particularly alarmed by the situation of those held in detention. Conflict and political
   transition are especially dangerous moments for people in custody, who are uniquely
   vulnerable to abuse, disappearance, and extrajudicial harm. All prisoners and detainees must
   be treated humanely and in accordance with international standards. The rules of armed
   conflict prohibit in all circumstances murder, torture, cruel treatment, and hostage-taking of
   all persons not actively participating in hostilities. These protections cannot be suspended.
   Beyond the context of armed conflict, Iranians have suffered years of brutal and systematic
   repression. Security forces have unlawfully killed thousands — possibly tens of thousands —

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and are currently arbitrarily detaining even larger numbers who risk torture, ill-treatment,
and the death penalty. The right to be safe requires an immediate end to the use of lethal
and excessive force against peaceful protesters, the fundamental accountability and reform
of security institutions responsible for these abuses, and the immediate release of all those
arbitrarily detained — including protesters, human rights defenders, lawyers, journalists,
media workers, writers, artists, and trade unionists.
We further call on all parties to ensure safe, unimpeded access for humanitarian
organizations, to protect medical facilities and personnel, and to establish and respect
humanitarian corridors to assist affected civilians.
We are also gravely concerned about the safety of groups facing heightened risk, including
women and girls, who face increased exposure to gender-based violence during armed
conflict and political transition; ethnic and religious minorities, including Kurds, Baluch,
Arabs, Baha’is, Christians, and others, who may be targeted or scapegoated amid instability;
and refugees and stateless persons, who are among the most vulnerable and may have no
means of protection or escape.

2. IRANIANS HAVE A RIGHT TO JUSTICE
   We acknowledge that the killing of senior regime figures has been met with expressions of
   relief by many Iranians, reflecting decades of shared trauma rooted in oppression, brutality,
   and the systematic suppression of dissent. We understand this response.
   At the same time, those killings deprive the Iranian people, victims, survivors, and their
   families of the prospect of holding perpetrators accountable through legal processes. Justice
   — real, lasting, legitimate justice — cannot be achieved through death or vengeance. It
   requires independent courts, transparent proceedings, and accountability under law. The
   emphasis must remain firmly on accountability through legal processes, rather than
   vengeance or impunity through death. The legality of any individual killing under
   international humanitarian law is a matter for independent legal review — which is precisely
   why impartial accountability processes are essential.
   We call for the preservation of all documentation of human rights violations — past and
   present — and for the international community to support independent accountability
   mechanisms, including the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, and to lay the groundwork for
   comprehensive transitional justice — including criminal accountability, truth-seeking,
   reparations for victims, and guarantees of non-recurrence. Evidence gathered by civil society
   organizations during this period must be protected as a matter of priority.
3. IRANIANS HAVE A RIGHT TO DECIDE THEIR OWN FUTURE
   The Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that the will of the people shall be the
   basis of the authority of government. It is for the Iranian people — and the Iranian people
   alone — to determine their own political future, freely and without exclusion.
   Any transfer or consolidation of political power must be transparent, inclusive, and
   undertaken with the meaningful participation of civil society actors. Iranian civil society
   organizations, women’s groups, minority communities, human rights defenders, and
   diaspora communities must have a genuine seat at the table in any political negotiations or

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post-conflict governance discussions. External actors should support rather than direct
Iranian-led transition processes.
We call on the international community to support — not supplant — Iranian-led processes
for building a future that reflects the will of all Iranians, without distinction based on gender,
ethnicity, religion, belief, or political opinion.

4. IRANIANS HAVE A RIGHT TO LIVE FREE AND EQUAL
   For decades, the people of Iran have lived under a system that has systematically denied
   their fundamental rights — criminalizing dissent, persecuting minorities, and enforcing
   discriminatory laws that have fallen most heavily on women, ethnic communities, religious
   minorities, and those who speak out. Whatever political changes may come, these patterns
   of exclusion and repression must not simply take a new form under new authorities.
   Whatever form Iran’s future takes, it must be rooted in the full respect, protection, and
   fulfilment of human rights for all — without exception, and without compromise. The rights
   to life and security of the person, freedom of expression and opinion, freedom of assembly
   and association, equality before the law, non-discrimination, freedom of religion or belief,
   voting and political participation, due process, and a fair trial — the very rights suppressed in
   Iran today — must be guaranteed for all people tomorrow, including women and girls and all
   of Iran’s ethnic and religious minorities.
   We call on all actors engaged in or influencing Iran’s political future to make an explicit,
   public commitment to these rights as a non-negotiable foundation — not as aspirations, but
   as binding obligations under international human rights law.
5. THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION MUST BE PROTECTED
   Independent and accurate information is essential in times of conflict — and its suppression
   is itself a form of harm. Iran has one of the most extensive digital repression infrastructures in
   the world. Internet shutdowns, throttling, filtering, and surveillance have long been used to
   silence dissent and control the flow of information. In a moment of armed conflict, these
   tools become even more dangerous: they can be used to conceal atrocities, disorient
   civilians, and prevent affected communities from accessing help or communicating their
   situation to the outside world.
   We call for the immediate cessation of any internet shutdowns or communications
   blackouts. The Iranian people have the right to access and share information, including about
   the conflict unfolding around them. We further call for the protection of sources,
   whistleblowers, and those documenting violations on the ground — their work is essential to
   any future accountability process and must not be criminalized or endangered.
   We call for the protection of journalists and media workers — both inside and outside Iran —
   and for safe, unimpeded access for independent press. Under international humanitarian
   law, journalists covering armed conflict are civilians and must be protected as such.
   Deliberately targeting them would constitute a war crime. We also call on technology
   companies and platform providers to take active steps to ensure that communications
   infrastructure serving people in Iran remains accessible, and to resist any pressure to restrict
   or monitor it in ways that endanger users.

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6. OBLIGATIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
   States involved in or supporting this conflict bear obligations not only under international
   humanitarian law, but under the full framework of international human rights law. These
   obligations do not diminish because a conflict is politically complex or strategically
   significant. The chaos of armed conflict must not become cover for normalizing impunity or
   for dismantling the international mechanisms that exist precisely for moments like this.
   We call on all states to:
   a. Uphold and strengthen the UN human rights system — including the Human Rights
   Council, the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran, and the Independent International Fact-
   Finding Mission on Iran. These mechanisms must be protected, adequately resourced,
   and given full political backing, not undermined or sidelined in the name of geopolitical
   expediency.
   b. Take initiatives to hold perpetrators to account for gross violations of human rights
   and crimes under international law – States must not stop at supporting investigations
   by the Fact-Finding Mission. They must make sure that the body of evidence collected
   through such investigations and otherwise is transmitted to relevant offices of the
   prosecutors that may have jurisdiction for appropriate action, including the opening of
   investigations and the issuance of arrest warrants. For this, States must:
   ● Establish jurisdiction and open investigations at the domestic level, including on the
   basis of universal jurisdiction and other forms of extra-territorial jurisdiction,
   ● Encourage the UN Security Council to refer the situation in the Islamic Republic of
   Iran to the International Criminal Court
   c. Grant protection to victims and survivors: States must grant asylum and humanitarian
   visas as well as medical and psychological care to victims and survivors in need for
   protection, as well as their families.
   d. Protect Iranians in exile by addressing and countering transnational repression
   activities of Iran: States must coordinate strategies to prevent, address and counter
   transnational repression activities of Iran targeting Iranians in exile, including human
   rights defenders, victims and survivors and their families, lawyers, journalists and media
   workers and writers and artists.
   e. Ensure sanctions do not punish civilians — Any sanctions regimes, existing or new,
   must include robust humanitarian carve-outs to ensure that civilians are not deprived of
   food, medicine, financial services, or essential goods. The burden of geopolitical decisions
   must not fall on the Iranian people.
   f. Support civil society and human rights defenders — States and donors must provide
   sustained support to Iranian civil society organizations, human rights defenders,
   journalists, and documentation efforts — both inside Iran and in diaspora communities.
   This includes safe pathways, emergency funding, and protection measures.

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g. Acknowledge and support the demand of Iranians for fundamental change, that have
been repeatedly, widely and forcefully expressed at great cost by Iranian protesters,
including profound reforms of Iran’s constitutional and legislative frameworks. States can
play a role in particular by supporting civil society initiatives aiming at facilitating inclusive
dialogue among Iranians and anticipating a possible orderly transition.
The international community has both the tools and the obligation to act. We call on all
states to use their influence, leverage, and legal obligations to protect the people of Iran —
not to serve their own strategic interests at the expense of human lives.
Impact Iran and its member organizations stand in full solidarity with the people of Iran at
this critical and dangerous moment in their history. We will continue to document, advocate,
and speak out — whatever the circumstances — in defense of the rights and dignity of all
Iranians.
— IMPACT IRAN COALITION
Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran
Ahwaz Human Rights Organisation (AHRO)
All Human Rights for All in Iran
ARTICLE 19
Association for the Human Rights of the Azerbaijani People in Iran (AHRAZ)
Balochistan Human Rights Documentation Network
Balochistan Human Rights Group (BHRG)
Defenders of Human Rights Center
ECPM (Together Against the Death Penalty)
Iran Human Rights
Iran Human Rights Documentation Center
Kurdistan Human Rights Association-Geneva (KMMK-G)
Kurdistan Human Rights Network
Kurdpa Human Rights Organization
Outright International
PEN America
Rasank
Siamak Pourzand Foundation (SPF)
United for Iran (U4I)

Language as a Human Right

The right to speak one’s mother tongue is protected under international human rights standards, including the principles of cultural rights and minority protections affirmed by the United Nations. Language is inseparable from identity. When a community’s language is marginalized, restricted, or excluded from education and public life, its culture and historical memory are also placed at risk.

For the Baloch people, Balochi carries centuries of poetry, oral history, folklore, and social values. It tells the stories of resilience, migration, love, struggle, and survival. To protect Balochi is to protect an entire worldview.

Challenges Facing the Balochi Language

Despite its rich literary and oral tradition, Balochi faces serious challenges:

• Limited access to education in the mother tongue
• Insufficient institutional support
• Restrictions on cultural expression in some regions
• Marginalization in official and administrative spaces

When children are denied the opportunity to learn in their mother language, it not only affects academic development but also weakens cultural continuity. Research consistently shows that education in one’s mother tongue strengthens both learning outcomes and self-confidence.

Cultural Survival and Collective Dignity

Language preservation is not about politics — it is about dignity. Every community has the right to transmit its language to future generations without fear or limitation. The Baloch community continues to speak, sing, publish, and teach in Balochi despite structural barriers. This persistence is an act of peaceful cultural resistance and a testament to resilience.

Protecting Balochi means:

• Supporting mother-tongue education
• Encouraging publication and media in Balochi
• Documenting oral histories and literature
• Ensuring freedom of cultural expression

A Call for Equality and Recognition

Human rights are universal and indivisible. Linguistic rights are part of cultural rights, and cultural rights are fundamental human rights. Respecting the Balochi language strengthens social inclusion, diversity, and democratic participation.

On International Mother Language Day, we reaffirm a simple truth:

Protect our languages, protect our future.

The survival of Balochi is not only a Baloch issue — it is part of the global struggle to preserve linguistic diversity and uphold human dignity for all communities.

Language is identity.
Language is memory.
Language is home.

Introduction
This report has been prepared by the Balochistan Human Rights Group and aims to present the latest situation of protests and their associated human rights implications in Sistan and Balochistan Province. The primary focus of the report is on documenting events, their humanitarian consequences, and assessing these developments in light of recognized international human rights norms and standards.

The temporal scope of this report covers the period from early Dey 1404 to 26 Dey 1404 (early January to 16 January 2026). It is based on a range of field reports, local sources and human rights data which following verification have been compiled and presented in an integrated narrative.

Context and Nature of the Protests
During the period under review protests and public gatherings were reported in several cities across Sistan and Balochistan Provinces including Zahedan, Iranshahr, Chabahar, Saravan, Khash and Taftan. These protests primarily took the form of street demonstrations, market strikes and the presence of citizens in public spaces. According to the information received, a significant proportion of participants were ordinary citizens including young people, market shopkeepers and local residents.

Response of Security and Law Enforcement Forces
In response to these protests, the presence of security and law enforcement forces increased noticeably in various cities throughout the province. Reports indicate the widespread deployment of forces, the establishment of checkpoints, night patrols and the imposition of restrictions on citizens’ movement, particularly during night hours. In some areas, the situation has been described as a state of highlighted security.

Use of Force and Human Consequences
According to received reports, coercive measures were used in certain instances to disperse gatherings. These measures included the firing of warning shots and in some reports direct fire, resulting in injuries to a number of citizens including eight individuals in Zahedan. Detailed information regarding the identities of the injured is not available; however, reports confirm that protesters sustained physical injuries.

Arrests and the Situation of Detainees
During the course of the protests, the arrest of hundreds of citizens was reported. These arrests often occurred during street demonstrations or at night and were carried out without transparent notification to families. In some cases, families remained unaware of the whereabouts and legal status of detainees for a period of time. Reports have also been received indicating that some detainees were released after several days.

Restrictions on Communications and Access to Information
At various points, disruption or shutdown of mobile internet access and communication services were reported in several cities of the province. These measures limited citizens’ access to information, created difficulties in obtaining updates on the condition of injured individuals and detainees and reduced the ability to document events.

Concerns Regarding Documentation and Monitoring
Reports were received regarding the deactivation or removal of certain surveillance cameras in public and private spaces. This has raised concerns about the reduction of independent monitoring and the ability to accurately document events.

Assessment Based on Human Rights Standards
According to international human rights standards, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, states are obligated to guarantee fundamental rights such as the right to life, the right to liberty and security of person, the right to peaceful assembly, freedom of expression and the right of access to information.

The information gathered in this report indicates that serious challenges to the observance of these rights arose during the recent protests, particularly with regard to the use of force, arbitrary arrests and restrictions on communications.

Conclusion
This report demonstrates that the recent protests in Sistan and Balochistan Province have been accompanied by significant human rights consequences. Accurate documentation, the conduct of independent and transparent investigations, and the adoption of measures to ensure the protection of citizens’ fundamental rights are essential in such circumstances. The information is correct at the time of drafting this report, however, the effort in creating this report has been difficult due to disruptions to internet access within Balochistan.

According to reports, more than 230 individuals were detained in Chabahar and Iranshahr, while at least 320 were arrested in Zahedan. Despite the scale of these arrests, only 51 individuals have been identified so far. The severe internet shutdown and disruptions have left the families of many detainees without any information regarding the status or whereabouts of their loved ones.

Details of the Crackdown
According to accounts from several released detainees in Chabahar and Iranshahr:

At least 230 citizens, including women, men, and children, were arrested during raids on the nights of Thursday, Jan 8, and Friday, Jan 9.

The arrests were accompanied by severe beatings, verbal abuse, and humiliation.

Detainees reported being blindfolded and held in mass cells, where they were threatened with charges such as “Moharebeh” (Enmity against God) and the risk of execution.

The arrests are described as “arbitrary and indiscriminate.” Many detainees have suffered physical injuries due to being struck with batons, fists, and kicks. In Zahedan, the 320+ detainees include students and children, the majority of whom remain unidentified.

Identified Detainees
Chabahar: Roya Seddiqi, Parisa Raeisi, Maral Shirani, Fatima Shirani, Ayub Jadgal, Abdul-Khalil Baluchi, Sajed Raeisi, Nader Narouei, Azim Jadgal, Arif Ahourani, Majed Kadkhodaei, Halim Soleimani, Nawab Baluchi, Mahmoud Shahouzehi, Hafiz Gholami, and Samer Darzadeh.

Iranshahr: Hamed Kalaki, Javad Rigi, Gol-Mohammad Arbab, Nasser Narouei, Javid Zeineddini, Ali Salahzehi, Yousef Askani, Ejaz Bamri, Jamal Bamri, Mohammad Ali Bijarzehi, Farhad Shiehaki, and Akbar Lashkarzehi.

Zahedan: Sadeq Jamalzehi, Yahya Yarmohammadzehi, Abu Bakr Shah-Karamzehi, Farid Roudini, Yasser Rigi, Rahmat Sarani, Saeed Salarzehi, Hamid Narouei, Rahim Hashemzehi, Morad Mirbalouchzehi, Omar Rakhshani, Abdul-Majid Kharkouei, Mahmoud Narouei, Ali Gorgij, Hanzala Barahouei, Amrullah Narouei, Behnam Mohammadi, Iraj Soltani, Abdul-Khaleq Samalzehi, Sanaullah Hasanzahi, and Mohammad-Gol Ghanbarzehi.

Context
These mass arrests followed widespread protests on January 8 and 9 across Zahedan, Chabahar, Saravan, and Iranshahr, where citizens took to the streets to join nationwide demonstrations. The ongoing internet blackout continues to hinder the process of identifying the hundreds of other detainees, further escalating the anxiety of families regarding the fate of their children.

Report by the Balochistan Human Rights Group (BHRG)Date: 20 Dey 1404 / 10 January 2026

According to the Balochistan Human Rights Group (BHRG), the security and military forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran have escalated the suppression of popular protests to an unprecedented level. These actions include mass arrests, threats against families with the death of their detained relatives, direct live-fire using firearms and pellet guns, and the complete military siege of cities.

Field Report Details (as of 21:00 local time, 10 January 2026):

• Mass arrests and deadly threats: Numerous reports have been received of citizens being arrested in the cities of Zahedan, Chabahar, and Iranshahr. Due to severe restrictions on information flow, the exact number of detainees is unknown; however, local sources describe it as “very high.” After transferring detainees to security centers, agents have contacted families and, in a threatening tone, stated: “Assume your children are dead.” These threats raise serious concerns about the risk of enforced disappearance, torture, and even extrajudicial killings.
• Military siege and heavy security presence: The atmosphere in the cities of Zahedan, Chabahar, and other parts of the province has become extremely securitized. Military and security forces are deployed on streets at intervals of 10 to 20 meters, with several personnel stationed permanently at some points. This heavy presence has effectively turned cities into military garrisons.
• Internet shutdown and information blackout: Since Thursday night (8 January), internet access has been cut or severely restricted in large parts of the province—especially in Iranshahr, Saravan, and southern regions. This action by the regime has blocked the flow of information and reduced the ability to document abuses.
• Live fire and injuries:
  • In Zahedan, following Friday prayers (19 Dey / 9 January), security forces attacked protesters using live ammunition, pellet guns, and tear gas. At least 8 people have reportedly been injured. Videos released from CCTV cameras show direct shotgun fire at citizens on routes leading to the Makki Mosque.
  • Unconfirmed reports have also been received of a child under the age of 18 being injured last night.
  • In Chabahar, due to the heavy presence of forces, citizens have been forced to protest from rooftops, chanting anti-government slogans. This situation has continued both last night and tonight.
• Armed incident: Yesterday afternoon (9 or 10 January) in Dashtiari County (near Chabahar), armed individuals attacked military forces, resulting in one death and one injury. No group has so far claimed responsibility.

Background:

This crackdown is taking place as nationwide protests across Iran, which began in late Azar 1404 (December 2025) due to a deep economic and livelihood crisis, have rapidly evolved into demands for the overthrow of the government . The people of Balochistan—one of the most marginalized regions of Iran, with a long history of discrimination and repression—have played an active role in this uprising. Baloch women have stood on the front lines, chanting slogans such as “Poverty, corruption, inflation; we will go until overthrow” and “From Zahedan to Tehran, my life for Iran.”

The Balochistan Human Rights Group calls for an immediate halt to violence, the release of all detainees, an end to threats against families, and full access to the internet and communications. We urge the international community, the United Nations, and human rights organizations to seriously investigate and hold the regime accountable for its crimes in Balochistan.

The Balochistan Human Rights Group (BHRG) continues to monitor and document developments. Our local sources are operating at great personal risk. Any new information received will be shared in updates.

According to the Balochistan Human Rights Group, on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, despite 26 years of persistent efforts by a Baloch citizen to obtain an ID card, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s security institutions and the Iranshahr County Security Council have rejected his request. This is despite the fact that all required documents were provided, and his siblings possess ID cards. However, despite all legal efforts and documentation, this Baloch citizen has been deprived of his basic rights.

The individual is identified as “Habibollah Barahouei Zebdeh,” son of Abdullah and Maryam, a resident of Iranshahr County. Since 1999, he has been pursuing an ID card, submitting documents such as a testimony form, his siblings’ ID cards, his father’s photo, inheritance certification, age determination by forensic medicine, an official affidavit, fingerprints, and other evidence to establish his legal identity. Nevertheless, institutions such as the Intelligence Office, the IRGC Intelligence, and the Iranshahr County Security Council have rejected his request.

According to BHRG sources, Habibollah lost his mother in childhood, and his father, after starting a new family, did not take steps to secure an ID card for him and passed away shortly after. Due to this deprivation, not only has Habibollah been denied basic rights such as healthcare, education, and employment, but his children have also grown up without ID cards.

This citizen even took his case to the Iranshahr Judiciary, where his case was processed in the First Branch of the General (Civil) Court. However, due to poorly drafted and grossly erroneous rulings, neither the court nor the Dispute Resolution Council took effective action to resolve his issue.

It is worth noting that the Security Council and other security institutions in Balochistan counties, whose members are often non-Baloch and non-native, have become the biggest obstacles to issuing ID cards for thousands of Baloch citizens who, due to historical or structural reasons, remain deprived of identity documents. The neglect and systemic discrimination by these institutions have plunged the lives and futures of generations of the Baloch nation into crisis.

The identity of the Baloch prisoner was revealed as Reza dahmardeh approximately 24 years old, son of Abdulaziz, a resident of Khaksefidi village in Zabol County.  

Reza had been arrested in 2022 on charges of “murder” and was sentenced to death by the Criminal Court of Zabol County. Yesterday, he had his final meeting with his family in the prison’s quarantine section.  

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.

When seven-year-old Yousef walked into his first-grade classroom, he was excited to begin learning. But his smile faded quickly when the teacher said, “Here, you only speak Persian. If you speak Balochi, you’ll be punished.”  

This is not just Yousef’s story. For many Baloch children in southeastern Iran, their first experience of formal education begins not with empowerment, but with the denial of their mother tongue and cultural identity.  

This report explores the slow but deliberate erasure of the Balochi language in Iran’s Balochistan province, and the deep cultural, psychological, and social consequences that follow.

The Mother Tongue: A Silent Victim of Centralized Policy  

Despite Article 15 of the Iranian Constitution allowing for the teaching of local languages alongside Persian, no formal curriculum or educational policy exists to support the Balochi language in public schools.  

This is not a mere bureaucratic oversight. It is part of a broader, long-term strategy of cultural assimilation that seeks to eliminate ethnic and linguistic diversity, especially in peripheral regions like Balochistan.

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Human Consequences: Identity Denied from Childhood  

When Baloch children enter school, they are forced to abandon the language they first thought in—the one they used to speak with their mothers and express their emotions.  

Educational experts and psychologists warn that neglecting a child’s mother tongue during critical developmental years can lead to identity crises, diminished self-esteem, and broken connections with family and community.

Roya, a mother of two in Zahedan, says:  

“My kids only learn Persian through TV and school. But when they try to speak it, they can’t really express themselves. It feels like there’s a wall between us.”

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Teachers and Cultural Workers Under Pressure  

In the absence of official support, Baloch teachers and cultural activists are left to act on their own. Some offer informal classes or create educational content online, despite lacking resources.  

These efforts often face pressure from authorities, warnings of illegality, and a total lack of institutional support.

Abdollah, a retired teacher from Chabahar, recounts:  

“We have no books, no help. Even when we tried to organize voluntary Balochi classes outside school hours, we were told it was against the law.”

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Cultural Resistance: Keeping the Flame Alive  

Despite obstacles, the Baloch community continues to resist cultural erasure. Independent cultural groups, families, poets, and a new generation of digital content creators are working to preserve the Balochi language.  

Podcasts, YouTube channels, home-based learning programs, and online campaigns form part of a growing grassroots movement.

Still, without formal recognition of the language in education systems and media, these efforts remain fragile and face the constant threat of marginalization.

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Conclusion  

Language is more than just a tool for communication. It is a vessel of culture, a memory of the past, and the backbone of a community’s identity.  

The suppression of the Balochi language in Iran is not just about denying people the right to speak—it’s about erasing them from the national narrative.  

It is time for government bodies, human rights organizations, and the global public to recognize the right to education and expression in one’s mother tongue.  

As long as a child cannot speak their native language at school, educational justice remains a distant dream.