Pouran Nazemi is an Iranian civil rights campaigner. She was arrested and reportedly beaten in the early evening of 20 July 2021, together with other seven civil activists who had peacefully gathered in front of the Ministry of Interior building in support of the Khuzestan water shortage protests. Since July 15, 2021, people in dozens of towns and cities in Khuzestan province, Iran, have taken to the streets every evening to protest difficulties with accessing water in the area. The clashes are due to longstanding concerns across Iran, and Khuzestan in particular, over alleged mismanagement of water resources and pollution from oil development. For decades environmental experts have warned that development projects in oil-rich Khuzestan, including the construction of hydroelectric dams, irrigation schemes, and water transfers to neighboring provinces are causing environmental harm and leading to water shortages affecting a range of rights. Earlier on the same day, at least 18 local activists were arrested by Iranian authorities during protests.