Iranian authorities are restricting the flow of information about last month's coal mine explosion in Tabas which killed at least 51 workers as the country fails to control a spate of disasters blighting the industry dating back years.
Iran’s security agencies have threatened labor activists and the families of Tabas coal miners for sharing information about the miners and the conditions at the Tabas mine, Iran International has learned.
Activists on social media have also been coerced into deleting their posts related to the disaster.
The explosion, which occurred on September 21, was caused by a methane gas leak deep within the mine according to state TV. Rescue operations were hampered by high levels of methane gas, with many miners trapped in Block B, where conditions were particularly hazardous.
On Saturday, Ali Nesa'i Zahan, the prosecutor of South Khorasan Province and lead investigator in the case, confirmed that "negligence regarding the lack of safety at this mine has been established, and this failure is attributed to the mine's officials," as reported by the state-run ISNA.
He added that the investigation is ongoing, with the next step being to assess the degree of negligence and identify "which individual or individuals are responsible," with the findings to be submitted in writing to the judge.
"Ultimately, those found responsible will be summoned to the court and held accountable," he said, noting that sharing images or other details of suspects during the investigation is prohibited.
A day after the disaster, Iran's attorney general, Mohammad Movahedi Azad, warned that “no entity is permitted to comment on potential negligence until a final verdict is issued by the investigating judge.”
The Islamic Republic's suppression of information about the Tabas explosion is part of a broader pattern of limiting public discourse on sensitive issues within the country.
Iranian authorities have frequently used intimidation tactics to silence families and activists. Families of the victims of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752, which was shot down by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on January 8, 2020, also faced threats, including murder and torture, aimed at preventing them from speaking out.
Likewise, in 2023, Amnesty International highlighted the Iranian government's campaign of harassment against the families of those killed during the 2022 Woman Life Freedom uprising “preventing them from demanding justice.”
