Iran’s Sunni leader urges investigation into Baloch singer’s murder

On Friday, prominent Sunni Muslim cleric Mowlavi Abdulhamid called on the Iranian government to investigate the murder of Baloch singer Bilal Nasruyi, despite mutual distrust and tensions.

The 29-year-old from Zahedan was stabbed on Tuesday by unknown attackers from the secret service environment and died from his injuries Haalvsh newswhich covers the events in Sistan-Baluchestan province.

Abdulhamid called on the authorities to “investigate and resolve this matter as soon as possible, as the murderers have not been arrested, which further upsets the population.”

“Whoever committed this crime and stabbed Bilal Nasruyi in the heart should be arrested and punished,” he said supreme religious leader the predominantly Sunni Baloch minority in Iran in his Friday prayer sermons.

According to the report by Haalvsh newsAfter Nasruyi sang a protest song about two years ago, he was “wanted” by the Islamic Republic’s secret services and “threatened with assassination several times.” He ultimately had to leave Iran, but recently returned after “the elders of the clan intervened to help.” Numerous dissident artists and celebrities are persecuted under the regime, most recently the rapper Toomaj Salehi was sentenced to death.

According to the UK-based company Baloch activist campaignNasruyi had repeatedly told his relatives: “When I die, understand that I had no enemies and that the forces of the Islamic Republic killed me.”

In the predominantly Sunni province of Balochistan, the Baloch community is among the most persecuted in Iran and has the highest execution rate.

In December the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran said the level of killings, torture and brutality against Iran’s Baloch minority was “shocking.”

Javaid Rehman noted that Iran’s criminal justice system disproportionately targets and executes Baloch people.

Zahedan has been in turmoil since security forces under the command of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) killed an estimated 80 to 90 civilian protesters Bloody Friday Massacre.

However, tensions have increased recently due to increasing terrorist activities by the Sunni Baloch insurgent group Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice), which advocates for greater Baloch rights and improved living conditions.
The IRGC has retaliated against Jaish al-Adl following attacks attributed to the group.