Iranian security forces resorted to unlawful use of force, including birdhsot, and mass arrests to ruthlessly crack down on predominately peaceful protests that have erupted in various locations across Iran in recent weeks, said Amnesty International. Activists, protesters and bystanders swept up in the wave of arrests, including, children have been subjected to enforced disappearance, torture and other ill-treatment.
According to photographs, footage circulated on social media and eyewitness accounts, security forces unlawfully fired birdshot at peaceful protesters from Iran’s Kurdish minority in the city of Naqadeh in Western Azerbaijan province on 7 August, leaving dozens of people injured. Witnesses told Amnesty International that most have refrained from seeking hospital treatment for fear of arrest, torture and other ill-treatment.
“The Iranian authorities have yet again given their security forces free rein to inflict severe bodily injury on protesters to maintain their iron grip on power and crush dissent. The fact that those injured are risking their lives and health by not seeking medical care in hospital due to fear of arbitrary arrest speaks volumes about the authorities’ cruel methods of torture and other ill-treatment used against arrested protesters,” said Diana Eltahawy, Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International.
“It is high time the international community takes concrete action over the Iranian government’s repeated deadly deployment of unlawful force with impunity against protesters, including by supporting the establishment of an investigative and accountability mechanism at the UN Human Rights Council to collect evidence of crimes under international law and facilitate independent criminal proceedings.”
To disperse protests in Naqadeh on 7 August, security forces also fired tear gas and beat peaceful protesters with batons. Mohammad Alizadeh, a 27-year-old man, was also shot dead by a person in civilian clothes during the events.
Source: Amnesty International
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