Identities Confirmed for Two Baloch Minors Among Detained Seminary Students in Rask, Iran

Hengaw: Sunday, May 5, 2024

The identities of two of the seminary students arrested yesterday at the Anwar al-Haramain religious school in Rask, a part of Sistan and Baluchestan, have been confirmed. Saeed Sepahi, a 16-year-old from Chabahar, and Hadi Naroui, a 17-year-old, are both among the detainees.

According to a report received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, on Saturday, May 5, 2024, intelligence forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps raided the Anwar al-Haramain religious school located in the village of Pashamag in Rask County and arrested at least eight Baloch seminary students.

The full identities of two of the detainees, who are also children, Saeed Sepahi, aged 16, from Chabahar County, and Hadi Naroui, aged 17, from Iranshahr County, have been confirmed. Along with these two children, six other seminarians named Abdul-Ahad, Owais, Rafiullah, Walid, Zahed, and Mohabbatullah (surnames unknown) were also detained.

According to informed sources, the intelligence forces of the Revolutionary Guard, by storming the religious school, broke doors and windows, creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation, and proceeded to arrest these young seminarians.

It is important to note that shortly after the arrest of these eight seminarians, the Southeast Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard issued a statement claiming to have apprehended several operatives and supporters of the armed group "Jaish al-Adl" in the village of Pashamag. The Jaish al-Adl organization issued a statement refuting the allegations of their members' arrests, asserting that it is a conspiracy against Sunni religious schools orchestrated by the Islamic Republic.