LONDON: Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Friday condemned Iran鈥檚 violent crackdown on protests in Khuzestan province.

Amnesty International and UN Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet have also expressed condemnation in the past week.

HRW reported hundreds arrested and at least nine deaths, including a child. 鈥淯nconfirmed reports indicate the number of deaths and arrests may be higher,鈥� it added.

On July 15, massive protests broke out in Khuzestan over water shortages, spearheaded by the province鈥檚 Arab community demonstrating against government negligence and anti-Arab discrimination.

Iranians in several other provinces have joined in solidarity. Iranian officials have blamed 鈥渞ioters鈥� for the killing of protesters.

But HRW said: 鈥淰ideos shared on social media from protests in cities in Khuzestan show security officials shooting firearms and teargas toward protesters.鈥�

Karim Dahimi, a London-based Ahwazi human rights activist, told Arab News that the death toll could go higher since many protesters 鈥渉aven鈥檛 gone hospital for fear of being arrested and returned home with heavy injuries.鈥�

He said Iranian authorities have set conditions for the return of victims鈥� bodies to families, including 鈥減rotesters鈥� mobile number, information on who they were in contact with, who was with them, and who informed the parents.鈥�

Another condition is that the fathers of victims go on camera and claim that 鈥渢he protesters killed my son, and my son had no involvement in the demonstrations,鈥� Dahimi added.

鈥淪ome families are under pressure and want to take the bodies, so they鈥檝e accepted the government鈥檚 conditions. Other families haven鈥檛.鈥�

Eight of the protesters killed are Ahwazi Arabs and the ninth is Bakhtiari, Dahimi said. The crackdown on the mass protests is disproportionately impacting Iran鈥檚 Arab minority.

Shadi Sadr, a lawyer and co-founder of London-based NGO Justice for Iran, tweeted that the hundreds of protesters and activists arrested are 鈥渕ostly of Arab Ahwazi ethnicity.鈥� They have been arrested 鈥渋n their homes and workplaces,鈥� he added.

HRW said Iranian authorities 鈥渟hould immediately and unconditionally release peaceful protesters, provide information about deaths, and allow an independent international investigation into security agencies鈥� alleged use of lethal force. All those responsible for abuses should be held to account.鈥�