The massacre of protesters in the provinces of Kurdistan, Kermanshah, and West Azerbaijan has sharply increased following the protests over the death of Zhina Mahsa Amini. According to documented reports, dozens of people lost their lives in these areas during the protests from September 17 to December 31, 2022. These suppressions, especially in the provinces of Kurdistan and West Azerbaijan, have occurred using heavy weapons and military tactics.
Dimensions of Suppression and the Massacre of Protesters
Security forces have suppressed protesters using offensive weapons such as Kalashnikovs and heavy machine guns, systematically shooting at the protesting crowd and even at the injured. Amnesty International emphasizes in its reports that these shootings were not only to repel danger but also to punish and intimidate the protesters. Recurrent patterns of shooting at moving vehicles and firing at the backs of fleeing protesters have been observed.
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Casualties and Crimes Against Humanity
According to reports, at least 35 protesters have been identified in Kurdistan, 30 of whom were killed directly by gunfire or pellets. In Sanandaj, 62-year-old Minou Majidi and Mohammad Hosseini in Saqqez died horrifically. Additionally, in Javanrud, the IRGC forces attacked the protesting crowd with military weapons, turning the area into a battlefield. Amnesty International emphasizes that these massacres are part of crimes against humanity against the protesters, and existing documentation shows that these suppressions were carried out under the orders of military and judicial officials of the Islamic Republic.
The heavy case of the massacre in western Iran, especially in Kurdistan, reflects the severity of the suppressions and human rights violations in this country. These massacres are part of the "Women, Life, Freedom" uprising and will not be forgotten until those who ordered and committed these crimes are prosecuted.
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