AI denounces unlawful use of force and documented deaths during May protests in Iran

Aug. 3 (EUROPA PRESS) –

Amnesty International has denounced this Wednesday an illegitimate use of force by the Iranian Police and documented deaths during the protests that took place in May due to the rise in food prices.

“The militarized response of the authorities exposed once again the absolute disregard for the inviolability of human life and international legal norms on the use of force and firearms,” ​​said AI’s deputy director for the Middle East. and North Africa, Diana Eltahawy.

Several cities in the country were the scene of altercations in May 2022 between protesters and the Police due to the rapid increase in the prices of basic products, such as eggs, meat, rice or bread in the context of an economic crisis triggered by United States sanctions. in retaliation for Iran’s nuclear program.

Amnesty International has verified the death of three people in relation to these protests, as well as injuries caused by pellet bullets against protesters and bystanders, including children, according to a statement.

“Legitimate outrage by the people of Iran over state corruption, inflation, unemployment, low or unpaid wages, and food insecurity, as well as political repression, is likely to lead to more protests,” the NGO warned. .

For this reason, the international organization has called for accountability, since, if justice is not done, “Iran’s security forces will continue to feel emboldened to kill and injure those who demonstrate.”

“As national pathways to justice are completely closed, AI reiterates the urgent need for the UN Human Rights Council to establish an independent investigation and accountability mechanism to collect, consolidate, preserve and analyze evidence of the most serious crimes under international law committed in Iran,” he stressed.

The NGO has specified that the indiscriminate use of pellets is designed “to cause widespread damage that is always unnecessary and excessive to achieve legitimate objectives”, so “its use violates the prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment”.

“The illegitimate use of force by the Iranian authorities during the repression of the May 2022 protests reflects a growing militarization of police action in protests in recent years,” he settled, adding that “the crisis of systematic impunity in the country” due to the lack of investigation of crimes, such as extrajudicial executions, homicides and other human rights violations.