Speaker: Thank you Mr. Chairperson. I am [inaudible] and I am giving my speech on behalf of PADMAZ, the [inaudible] Patriotic Arab Democratic Movement in Ahwaz that targets to get the right of self determination for the Ahwazi nations that are located on the border between Iraq and Iran and on the north of the [inaudible] Gulf. The Ahwazi human rights defenders are humiliated, harassed and targeted by the Iranian authorities, not only inside Ahwaz but also when seeking refuge in western countries. For instance, I was targeted by the Iranian authorities and my family was threatened by the Iranian authorities. We are here and we can express our own ideas, share it with the rest of the world. However we Ahwazi activists inside the [inaudible] have not got the chance to express their own idea. Because the Iranian authorities accuse them of being a terrorist or of being a spy of western governments. So I would like to share with you an experience that happened in 2019. As the world said goodbye to our [inaudible]. November is a special month for… you know when the massacre happened in Māhschahr where 200 people were massacred by the Iranian authorities, the IRJ. The people who saw it took refuge in the nearby marshland where targeted by the IRJ forces opened fire into the marshland and then set it afire. Killing around 200 young people, mostly unmarried protestors. The only weakness of [inaudible] is facing death sentences. And also a number of Ahwazi activists were imprisoned and killed inside a prison. For instance my cousin [inaudible] was killed on 13th of November. So we ask the United Nations to take action, to stop this humiliation against our people. Thank you.

Select target paragraph3