UN Report on the Killing of Baloch Fuel Carriers and Widespread Executions of Baloch People
According to the Balochistan Human Rights Group, the recent report by Mai Sato, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, presented at the UN General Assembly on August 25, 2025, with contributions from the Balochistan Human Rights Group, highlights numerous violations of the right to life in Balochistan. The report, citing monthly reports by the Balochistan Human Rights Group (BHRG), states that between January 1 and July 31, 2025, at least 71 fuel carriers were killed and 54 others injured in Sistan and Balochistan province. It also emphasizes that landmines continue to claim the lives of these vulnerable populations.
The report further addresses the issue of executions, noting that of over 700 recorded executions during this period, at least 98 Baloch, 42 Kurds, and 8 Arabs were executed. Most executions in the Baloch community were related to drug offenses, often involving cases marked by poverty, lack of documentation, absence of fair trials, and reliance on forced confessions. The report highlights that Iran’s anti-narcotics laws have led to the execution of individuals, including truck drivers, who were unaware their cargo contained drugs.
In the section on civic space, the UN Special Rapporteur refers to the detention of a Baloch citizen, stating: “On June 24, 2025, Yasin Bekrpoushideh, a Baloch man, was detained at a checkpoint in Sanandaj while returning from work in Marivan. He was using borrowed identity documents, as many Baloch people are unable to obtain official identification. He was arrested by plainclothes forces affiliated with an unidentified entity, and no information about his whereabouts has been available since.” The report also mentions: “Iranian forces in Balochistan have carried out attacks using live ammunition, notably on July 1, 2025, in the village of Gunich, where at least 10 villagers were injured, and two Baloch women protesters were killed.” It further references the case of Amir Mirbalochzehi, who was shot by police while leaving an oil shop and died on July 18 after 10 days in hospital.
The report also addresses the issue of deportation and expulsion of migrants, stating: “Due to the migrant expulsion program, some Iranian Baloch citizens without official documentation have been detained and deported alongside Afghan migrants. This situation reflects deeper systemic issues rooted in historical administrative neglect and institutionalized discrimination, leaving many Baloch families without official identity documents, such as birth certificates.”
In the section on minority rights, the Special Rapporteur notes: “Water transfer projects have caused environmental damage in provinces like Khuzestan and Sistan and Balochistan, leading to the forced displacement of Kurdish, Arab, Baloch, Turkmen, and Gilak communities, violating their rights to water, health, and adequate housing.”
The report underscores that, alongside direct violence by state forces against fuel carriers, protesters, and Baloch citizens, discriminatory policies and structural neglect have had a devastating impact on the lives of people in Balochistan.
