Following the complaint made by the Ahwaz Human Right Organization (AHRO), UNPO is investigating the cases of assault against Ahwazi Arab activists who claimed as political refugee in Nederland. In particular the case of attack, threats and kidnapping of Sayed Hadi Batili and his son Tahir Batili and also the activist and poet Mr. Mousa Mosawi will be discussed.
The issue of targeting Ahwazi activists in Nederland has evolved after unknown people burned the apartment inhabited by the Arab Ahwazi activist Mr. Muhammed Tahir Batili last December in Hague. The case was transferred to anti –terrorism police Mr. Batili and his father, political activist and ex-prisoner claimed that the attackers believed to work on behalf of the Iranian Intelligence Service.
The investigations is still ongoing by the anti-terrorism police of Nederland which believe the attacks were pre-planned ,and Batili accuses the Iranian Intelligence and Iranian embassy in Hague for the attack which caused fire on his son’s apartment.
Batili says that the last threats came one week before the attack by the unknown people when sent him emails and phone calls. Through those occasions they threaten him and his family and reassuring him that in case he did not stop with his activities against Iranian government and activities for Ahwazi cause, he will be killed.
In another occasion the Arab poet, Mr. Mousawi was kidnapped on 6th of March 2014, when he left his house in Paningen in Nederland. The Arab poet was seriously beaten by the kidnapers and was interrogated about other Ahwazi Arab activists in abroad. They were then left him on the side of the road.
Mr. Mousawi stated in a statement by phone to Alarabiya TV channel. “I left home to go to an organization near my home when a car carrying two people blocked my way, they put a muzzle on my mouth and I became unconscious”, he said. The kidnapers then drove him to an undisclosed location. He added “they held me for two hours and began investigating with me about the activities of Ahwazi opposition in abroad , and then they beat me with a sharp iron object.
The Dutch police began the investigation to uncover the circumstances of the incident, and a delegation is scheduled to arrive from capital to investigate the case according to Mr. Mosawi who had to leave country (Iran) after security harassment accuses the Iranian regime of involvement in this operation.
According to the way of abusing and interrogation Mr. Mousawi believed that the activities of Ahwazi Arabs in abroad annoyed the Iranian regime. He added that he kidnapers reminded him to the threats via phone call he received when he attended a poetry event in the University of Hamburg four months before incident but he did not take it seriously.
UNPO and human rights organizations are undergoing this case closely to end to these serious crimes which is targeting the security and the life of Ahwazis , and urges the Dutch authority to show its concerns to this case and ensure protection for refugees residing in its territories.
These attacks on Ahwazi activists necessitate the Nederland’s authorities and the EU countries in general to take legal action to protect their refugees and prosecute the perpetrators of kidnapping, burning and assaults against the refugees ,and bring the criminals to justice as well as to continue the investigations to find out the details and circumstances of these attacks and repeated threats.
Ahwaz Human Rights Organisation(AHRO)
21-4-2014
