In the week between November 8 and November 15, Iranian police (NAJA) killed two Kurdish citizens in the border region areas of Nosûde in Kermashan Province and Bane in Sine Province, allegedly as part of an effort to fight the smuggling of goods.
On the evening of Thursday, November 14, police killed Evin Osmani, 17, when they shot directly at a moving car in Encile village outside Bane. A bullet hit her in the spine; she died the next day. The source told the International Campaing for Human Rights in Iran that Evin, 17, was a passenger in the car along with her fiancé, and her brother was driving. About 500 meters before reaching their village of Encile, her brother, the driver, stopped the car. Three plainclothes anti-smuggling police officers approached the car and struck it with a weapon, the source said. The driver, thinking they were being attacked by bandits, started driving away from the officers, who then shot at the car from 30 feet away, injuring Evin Osmani.
The killing has led to public anger in the region, especially since Evin Osmani and her fiancé were scheduled to be married that week, the source told the Campaign. Allegedly fearing public protests, the police have detained the agent who shot at the car and has promised the Osmani family a judicial pursuit of the perpetrator. The victim’s family has meanwhile been warned not to talk to the media about the case.
According to the UN rapporteur for Iran’s human rights Ahmed Shaheed, it has been increased the killing of Kurdish Kolbers 1, Another Kurdish citizen was killed during the early morning hours of Friday, November 8, when border police shot at a vehicle carrying Ehsan Peyam, a Kolber, in the Nosûde region. The shots killed him and injured Kawan Heyderi, the vehicle’s driver. Two bullets struck Ehsan Peyam in his back, and he died hours later. Residents and merchants in Nosûde protested the violence by shutting down their businesses on Saturday, November 9.
Some residents of the region have expressed their outrage by closing their businesses, and the police fear public protests, a source with knowledge of the incidents told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran.
Earlier in 2 March, Iranian Police were shooting towards Kulbers who had gathered due to seizing their loads in Nusude border regiment. During the non target shooting was killed Purmend Medhatnia 21 years old, some others were injured.
Source: International Campaing for Human Rights in Iran
Modified: Rojhelat.info
1. Kolber: people who carry goods across the border on their back, back carriers, border tradesman
Articles 57, 58 refer to the killings of Kulbaran (border couriers) states:
“Indiscriminate killings of kulbaran (border couriers), in violation of the domestic laws and international obligations of the Islamic Republic of Iran, continue to be reported. Human rights organizations report that at least 70 border couriers were killed and 68 wounded by government forces between March 2011 and April 2012. These reportedly unarmed couriers from the Kurdish-dominated provinces of Kermanshah, Kurdistan and West Azerbaijan appear to engage in smuggling such items as tea and tobacco because of inadequate employment opportunities”.
“An individual interviewed for the present report mentioned that government forces often begin shooting immediately after issuing calls for individuals to halt movement. Under Iranian law, lethal force may be used only as a last resort, and in this case can be used only after ample warning and non-lethal attempts to apprehend unauthorized migrants have been explored, including warning shots and shots to immobilize individuals. Another source reported that Pourmand Madhatniya was killed and three others were wounded by the Deputy Border Commander of Nosood in March 2011 outside a border control station in Kermanshah. The source reported that Mr. Madhatniya had been waiting outside of the border control station and had been indiscriminately fired upon by the guard during a scuffle over confiscated goods”.
