Detention of Afghan migrants and stateless Baluch citizens under inhumane conditions at the Al-Ghadir camp in Zahedan has raised serious concern. Hunger and thirst behind locked doors have forced local Baluch residents to pass food and water through the camp gates to the detainees.
According to Kolbarnews on Thursday, July 3, 2025, dozens of foreign nationals including Afghan refugees and stateless Baluch citizens have been transferred to the Al-Ghadir detention camp in Zahedan. Reports indicate that basic necessities such as food and water are lacking, and no official response has been provided regarding their situation.
Conditions in the camp are described as severely inadequate. Security forces have blocked families from delivering aid, leaving only the local Baluch population to help. Risking confrontation with authorities, they are seen in videos sliding bottles of water and bread under the gates. In one clip, a resident is heard saying: “You don’t need money just take it… just take it,” capturing the desperation inside the camp.
Local sources report that alongside Afghan nationals, several Baluch citizens without identity documents are also being held. Families visiting the camp encountered scenes of extreme distress, as detainees, suffering from heat and starvation, could only cry out for “Water… food…!”
Meanwhile, the Afghan newspaper 8am reported that some Afghan migrants have written an open letter describing arbitrary arrests in Iran and accusations of espionage for Israel. They allege that Iranian police have destroyed valid passports, confiscated belongings, and physically assaulted them. These migrants have appealed to international organizations including the IOM and UNHCR for urgent assistance, calling the treatment “a grave injustice and human rights violation.”
In a related development, over 1,300 Iranian civil and cultural activists signed a public letter condemning the crackdown:
“The injustice inflicted on Afghans and other voiceless minorities today threatens the very values we hold dear: humanity, justice, and freedom. Let us not remain silent in the face of this normalization of oppression.”
As mass deportations intensify, international organizations are being urged to intervene to monitor human rights violations, provide humanitarian aid, and assess the legality of deportations.
The Iranian authorities claim they are only repatriating “undocumented migrants.” However, mounting reports indicate that even legally-residing Afghans many of whom have lived in Iran for decades are being targeted. Just yesterday, security forces detained Ghafoor Hosseini, father of Iranian-Afghan actress Fereshteh Hosseini. His release followed public protest by her husband, prominent Iranian actor Navid Mohammadzadeh. Mr. Hosseini has lived legally in Iran for nearly 30 years, and his children are Iranian nationals.
