13 December 2024 :
December 9, 2024 - IRAN. Iran’s failed assassination attempt on Shir-Ahmad Shirani
Haalvsh News Outlet editor
An assassination attempt on Shir-Ahmad Shirani, the editor-in-chief of the Haalvsh news outlet, by two individuals linked to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s security agencies, has been thwarted. This incident highlights the state’s intensifying strategy of targeting and silencing activists living abroad through intimidation and assassination. Haalvsh is a media platform dedicated to reporting on issues and developments in Balochistan.
According to a report received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, on the evening of Monday, December 9, 2024, two armed men attempted to enter Shirani’s home under false pretenses. Their efforts were foiled by the swift actions of family members and neighbors.
The Haalvsh news outlet reported that the intruders initially claimed to have legitimate reasons for seeking access to the residence. However, their evasive behavior and insistence raised suspicions, leading the residents to act quickly and secure the home.
Haalvsh further highlighted that threats against its staff—particularly Shir-Ahmad Shirani and Mohammad Saber Malek-Reyssi, the outlet’s founders—have surged in recent months. This escalation follows the outlet’s extensive coverage of human rights violations in Baluchistan, including the Bloody Friday incident.
Over recent years, dozens of political, religious, and civil activists from the Baloch community in Pakistan and Afghanistan have been assassinated or targeted by agents of the Iranian government. This attempted assassination represents a continuation of the state’s systematic campaign to silence dissent and intimidate human rights defenders.
Hengaw Organization for Human Rights strongly condamne this act of terrorism and warns against the Islamic Republic of Iran’s growing wave of extrajudicial killings targeting opposition figures. Hengaw expresses solidarity with Haalvsh’s staff and other human rights activists while urging international bodies to take urgent measures to protect the lives of those advocating for democracy and human rights in Iran.
Hengaw emphasizes that the international community must hold the Islamic Republic of Iran accountable for its actions and prioritize safeguarding the safety of activists facing life-threatening risks for their work in promoting democracy and defending human rights in Iran.
https://hengaw.net/en/news/1403-09-article-88