The Alahwazi Organization for Human Rights is following with deep concern the tragic situation in Hor al-Falahiyah in Ahwaz, where this unique ecological area has turned into a site of grave violations against both people and nature. This is a direct result of the oil exploration projects imposed by the Iranian occupying authorities without any regard for human or environmental standards.

Local sources documented the death of the Ahwazi citizen Alireza Janami (27 years old) while working in one of the oil drilling sites inside the marsh. He had been subjected to extremely dangerous working conditions, with no basic safety measures in place. Despite the seriousness of the incident, the occupying authorities attempted to downplay their responsibility by issuing an official statement claiming that the cause of death was exposure to sunlight and high temperatures a clear attempt to cover up gross negligence and the failure to take necessary measures to protect workers’ lives.

The continuation of oil exploration in Hor al-Falahiyah poses a direct threat to the lives of Ahwazi workers, in addition to causing systematic destruction of the environment and marshlands, which constitute a vital lifeline for the region’s inhabitants.

Forced Displacement and Systematic Demographic Change

In this context, the organization warns of the policy of forced displacement pursued by the Iranian authorities against Ahwazi residents of villages surrounding Hor al-Falahiyah. This is part of an intelligence and security plan aimed at changing the demographic composition of Ahwaz. So far, this plan has led to the displacement of tens of thousands of villagers through economic strangulation, neglect of infrastructure, and the transformation of their areas into military zones or oil projects.

This forced displacement represents a blatant violation of international law, particularly:
• Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which states:
“The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.”
• Article 7(d) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which classifies forced displacement on ethnic, national, or religious grounds as a crime against humanity.

Accordingly, the Ahwazi Organization for Human Rights affirms the following:
1. Condemnation of the Iranian occupation policies that endanger the lives of Ahwazi workers and target both the environment and human existence in Hor al-Falahiyah.
2. The demand for an independent international investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Alireza Janami, and for accountability of those responsible for professional and criminal negligence.
3. The call for the immediate suspension of oil exploration in Hor al-Falahiyah until workers’ rights are guaranteed and the destruction of the marshlands is halted.
4. Rejection of the policy of forced displacement of villagers around the marsh, and a demand for the United Nations to send a fact-finding mission regarding the forced demographic changes in Ahwaz.
5. Holding the occupying authorities fully responsible for the environmental and humanitarian deterioration in the Ahwazi marshlands.

This crime is yet another addition to the long record of systematic violations suffered by the Ahwazi people under occupation. It requires urgent action from the international community and human rights organizations to protect the lives of citizens and stop the deliberate catastrophes targeting both human beings and the environment in Ahwaz.

Alahwazi Organization for Human Rights

Hussain Hazbavi