Iran: State-ordered use of excessive force against protesters <\/p>\n\n\n\n
By Ali Latifi<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The people of Iran have been on the streets protesting since Friday 15th<\/sup> November after the regime announced a massive price hike affecting petrol prices<\/a>. The regime\u2019s treatment has shocked people all over the world. It is thought that more than a thousand protesters have been killed<\/a> and many thousands injured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On top of this, the Iranian regime has been\narresting and detaining thousands of prisoners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Only a few days ago, the governor of Ghale Hasan Khan<\/a> (Qods city) admitted that security forces have been ordered to shoot at and kill protesters. Leila Vatheghi said during a televised interview on state television that she has personally \u201cordered security forces to shoot and kill anyone who entered through the gates of the governor\u2019s building\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reports surrounding this have confirmed\nthat dozens of protesters have been killed or injured as a direct result of her\norders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Vatheghi, during her interview, applauded\nthe security agents\u2019 use of force. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The regime\u2019s laws are archaic, but even these do not give a governor the right to order security agents to use lethal or excessive force against protesters. Provincial security councils, on the other hand, do have the authority to make such orders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Furthermore, the country\u2019s Interior\nMinister has praised Vatheghi for her response. Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli\ncommended her on her \u201con the ground management\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This news should be provoking a major\ninternational reaction, especially from democratic countries that uphold the\nhuman rights of their citizens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to international law, it is forbidden\nfor states to open fire on protesters that are unarmed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Less than a month ago, just days after the\nprotests started on 15th November, the Human Rights Office of the United\nNations released a statement highlighting concerns about the force the Iranian\nregime has been using against the protesters across Iran. The office urged the\nIranian regime to immediately halt the use of force against the people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI<\/a>) has indicated that protests have spread to more than 189 cities and towns across the country. The main opposition to the Iranian regime, the People\u2019s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI <\/a>\/ MEK<\/a>) has \u201cResistance Units<\/a>\u201d all across the country and it is reporting on the real situation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The PMOI \/ MEK has compiled a list of those\nthat have been confirmed dead; and it is getting longer with every day that\npasses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The demands of the people are simple \u2013 they\nwant regime change because it is their only hope of ever having freedom,\nequality, democracy, peace and human rights. None of this is possible with the\nmullahs in power. In fact, the regime\u2019s pillars are suppression of all of the\nabove. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It is now up to the international community to support the people and their legitimate demands. The President-elect of the NCRI, Mrs Maryam Rajav<\/a>i<\/a>, has called on the United Nations Security Council to urgently visit the country to assess the situation and prevent further killings and arrests of protesters. <\/p>\n\n\n\nWhy Iran use excessive force against protesters?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n