Clashes erupted in Iran's southeast province of Sistan-Baluchestan on Friday, marking the one-year anniversary of a crackdown by security forces on protesters known as "Bloody Friday." According to rights groups and social media videos posted by the Iran Human Rights (IHR) group, marchers in the capital city of Zahedan confronted security forces, with sounds of shooting heard in the background.

At least 23 people were reported injured by IHR and the Baluch rights group Hal Vash. The protests continued into the night, with protesters setting fire to tires to block streets. This recent unrest follows an incident in southwest Iran where prisoners started a fire to protest against a death sentence issued to a fellow inmate.

Shots were heard from the facility, and the semi-official news agency Mehr reported that calm had been restored. However, ongoing protests persisted in Zahedan despite the city's prosecutor claiming it was calm and dismissing videos of the injured as old. This wave of demonstrations stems from the events of September 30, 2022, when security forces killed at least 66 people in a crackdown.

Regime forces in #Zahedan, Iran have opened fire at innocent protestors as they ask for basic human rights.

I ask the international community to use their social media platforms by posting videos of the protests today. The people of Sistan & Baluchestan are putting their lives… pic.twitter.com/I2rUwg2NyP

— Emily (@emilyshar1) September 29, 2023

Amnesty International has accused authorities of provoking the clashes, alleging that protesters were angered by the alleged rape of a girl from the Baluch minority by a police commander. The province of Sistan-Baluchestan, which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan, has long faced discrimination and repression, with human rights groups highlighting the Baluch minority's plight. Iran has claimed that developing the region and addressing its problems is a serious issue for the government.

Furthermore, this anniversary coincides with the death of women's rights activist Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody last year after being arrested for not wearing her hijab. In the aftermath of Amini's death, widespread protests erupted, posing a significant challenge to Iran's ruling Shiite clerics.

Despite the government's attempts to suppress dissent with preemptive arrests, international human rights activists believe that Iranians remain determined to fight for their rights.

As the anniversary approaches, there are reports of Iranian authorities summoning Amini's father for questioning and pressuring his family and other relatives of those killed in last year's protests to stay away from public places.

The UN Human Rights Council's Independent International Fact-Finding Mission has condemned the Iranian government's harassment of women and girls, stating that authorities are exacerbating punitive measures against those exercising their fundamental rights. However, protesters like Kian Derakhshan, who was wounded in last year's crackdown, expressed confidence in overcoming authorities' efforts and achieving freedom and democracy.

Despite ongoing intimidation and suppression, there appears to be a growing unity among Iranians from different backgrounds, with various segments of society supporting women's rights movements and advocating for broader freedoms.