Iran protests: Two young relatives killed in Nowshahr
by Farzad Seifikaran — 23September 2022
The protests against the government murder of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini have intensified over the past few days. Messages shared online by Iranians just before Netblock’s announcement of a large shutdown of mobile networks and restricted use of WhatsApp and Instagram indicate an increase in police brutality.
While the exact numbers of arrests and deaths are unknown, Zamaneh independently confirms the death of 6 people based on information from trusted sources: Reza Lotfi (Dehgolan), Fawad Gadmi (Divandarreh), Farjad Darwish (Urmia), Mehdi Asghari (Garmsar), Milan Haghighi (Oshnavieh) and Hananeh Kia (Nowshahr).
23 year old Hananeh Kia Kajoori from Nowshahr, a small city of Mazanadaran province in northern Iran, was on her way home from a dentist appointment when, as sources in her close network tells Zamaneh, she was shot in the side by security forces. The bullet shot by the government’s forces killed Hananeh on the spot.
“I spoke to her when she was done at the dentist. She told me that she was still at the clinic, and was on her way home, and that she would call me. It hadn’t even been half an hour when they told me she was shot by accident in front of the dentist clinic.”
An informed source confirmed with Zamaneh that Hananeh was killed on Wednesday, September 30th near Nowshahr’s “Freedom Square”. Her body has not yet been handed over to her family, and another source claims that her body is currently being held at the Behesht Reza morgue in Nowshahr.
According to a source to Zamaneh, Hananeh had been recently engaged and earned an independent income working as a hairdresser at home. She was described as a calm, quiet and modest girl. The source added that the authorities have not been cooperating with the family, and instead, have been harassing them about the delivery of her body.
New information provided by a source to Zamaneh Media after the publication of Persian version of this report confirms that another relative of Hananeh Kia, Hossein Ali Kia, was also shot by security forces on DATE during the protests in Nowshahr. Hossein Ali Kia was shot by security forces in front of the police station on 15 Khordad Street. The well-informed source has told Zamaneh that the bodies of Hananeh Kia and Hossein Ali Kia were handed over to their families and have been buried in Al-Javad cemetary between Nowshahr and Chalus.
Norway based Iran Human Rights Organization confirms the death of 31 protestors. The Kurdistan Human Rights Network confirms the death of at least 12 Kurdish citizens. Amongst these numbers are two 16 year old boys from Ashnoyeh, killed by direct shooting by security forces. The videos of the funeral of these young boys has created widespread outrage.
Videos and photos circulating online indicate the continuation of the nationwide protests against the murder of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini. Footage supports reports of the use of lethal weapons by security forces, police brutality and shooting to kill.
Protests and clashes between protestors and security forces in Nowshahr, where Hananeh was killed.
There are serious concerns for the safety of protestors, especially in consideration of Iran’s recent shutdown of the internet, which makes it incredibly difficult to become aware of the atrocities carried out by government forces.
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