Abdorrahman Boroumand Center

for Human Rights in Iran

https://www.iranrights.org
Omid, a memorial in defense of human rights in Iran
One Person’s Story

Mohsen Mohammadpur Man'iyat

About

Age: 17
Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Single

Case

Date of Killing: November, 2019
Location of Killing: Khorramshahr, Khuzestan Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Other arbitrary execution method
Charges: Unknown charge
Age at time of alleged offense: 17

About this Case

Mr. Mohammadpur was a young 17-year-old ethnic Arab from the city of Khorramshahr. He went to school in the morning and worked as a mason in the afternoon in order to pay for his education and to help out his family. He was a happy and energetic person.

Information regarding the killing of Mr. Mohsen Mohammadpur Maniat, son of Ali, was obtained from Amnesty International (May 20, 2020). The news of Mr. Mohammadpur’s death was also published on Radio Farda website (December 2, 2019), Iran Azadi website (December 8, 2019), Moaleman Edalatkhah Telegram Channel (December 18, 2019), Khakzadegan Telegram Channel (December 5, 2019), and Tavana Facebook Page (December 6, 2019). Additional information was obtained from Memar Twitter account (July 28, 2020), Kafe Aban website (June 8, 2020), Iran International Twitter account (December 23, 2019), Iran Kargar website (December 16, 2019), and Radio Zamaneh website (December 16, 2019).

Mr. Mohammadpur was an ethnic Arab [Iranian] citizen from the Maniat tribe, born on August 18, 2002 in the city of Khorramshahr. He was the second child of a five-member family. Mr. Mohammadpur was a student, but he worked as a mason to help out with his family. He would also collect and sell recyclable trash in order to pay for his own education. He was a happy and energetic person who loved soccer. (Kafe Aban website, Memar Twitter account).

Background

Right before midnight on November 14, 2019, the Iranian government announced a sharp increase in the price of gasoline (a 50% increase for rationed gasoline, and a 200% increase for regular gasoline). Following the government’s announcement, nationwide protests began on November 15. According to available reports and videos, the protesters gathered peacefully in public places on November 15 and 16, and caused very heavy traffic by blocking a number of streets. The protesters also chanted anti-governments slogans. Protesters across the country were asking their compatriots to turn their cars off and chant anti-regime slogans (1). According to reports, by the end of the day on November 16, banks had been set on fire in certain regions. Gunshots can be heard in some videos. That same night, the government blocked internet access in the entire country for at least ten days. Lack of access to information severely diminished the protesters ability to organize protests and report on the regime’s brutal and ruthless clampdown of the demonstrators (2).

The reaction of the Iranian authorities was swift, disproportionate, extreme, and deadly. From the very early days of the protests, that is, by November 16, the leaders of the Islamic Republic started to put the blame on the people in their public statements, and demonstrated that they would not tolerate any dissent or expression of discontent. The protesters were accused of being “hoodlums” and “in contact with forces outside the country”, and were warned that they would suffer grave punishment if they damaged public property. News of the first casualty was reported on November 15. On the second day of the protests, the number of the dead increased as police and security forces continued to open fire on the populace in several cities. In video footage received from Iran, police and security forces can be seen firing their weapons into the demonstrators in circumstances where it does not appear that their lives are in danger. Plainclothes forces can also be seen beating people with clubs and arresting them. In certain cases, demonstrators blocked roads or gathered in front of police precincts or other government buildings, or pushed police and security forces back by throwing rocks. In several provinces, banks and other public buildings were set ablaze, seemingly by angry protesters, and the police can be seen damaging public property in some videos. The protests, which had spread to dozens of towns (120), roads, and locations outside urban areas, were quashed within a few days.

The exact number of casualties is not clear at the time of this writing. In most cases, government agents took the dead and wounded protesters away. In an effort to hide the truth, these officials obtained written pledges from the victims’ families that the would remain silent in return for the bodies of their loved ones, and even forced some of them to bury their dead at night under the veil of darkness, and under the control and watchful eye of security agents. Others were asked for various sums of money. In its latest report published on May 20, 2020, Amnesty International announced the number of dead to have been at least 304 (3). A large number of the demonstrators had been shot in the head and chest. Hundreds of others were wounded, and the fate of many is unknown. The Iranian government confirmed the death of 6 members of the police and security forces. On May 31, 2020, the Interior Minister declared the number of people killed in the November protests to have been between 200 and 225, 20 percent of whom were shot by non-governmental bullets (4). On June 1, 2020, the Head of Majless’ (“Parliament”) National Security Commission declared the number of people killed in the protests against the increase in the price of gas to have been 230, including members of the police and security forces (5). According to a Majless Representative, at least 7000 people were arrested during and after the protests. Lack of transparency regarding the arrests, official reports of the “confessions” of those arrested following the protests where they acknowledged their responsibility and guilt, in addition to reports of the overcrowding of prisons and detention centers way beyond their capacity, caused very serious concerns about the safety and the security of the detainees.

Mr. Mohammadpur’s death

According to available information, on November 16, 2019, security agents or Revolutionary Guards corpsmen beat Mr. Mohammadpur in the head with clubs and electric shocker on Hafez Street, close to Darvazeh Square in the city of Khorramshahr.  As a result, Mr. Mohammadpur sustained severe injuries to the head and went into a coma. Some sources have said that he had joined the protests after he had left the construction site where he was working. Mr. Mohammadpur was taken to Khorramshahr’s Vali-e Asr Hospital by several concerned citizens. According to some sources, he was in a coma at the hospital for four days and subsequently died. (Khakzadegan, Moaleman Edalatkhah, Iran International, Kafe Aban). One source, quoting a person who knew Mr. Mohammadpur, has said, however, that he was in a coma for 10 days. On the last day, hospital staff suggested to Mr. Mohammadpur’s father to donate his organs. Mr. Mohammadpur’s father and mother refused, still holding out hope for their son’s recovery and believing that he might stay alive. A few hours later, hospital staff contacted Mr. Mohammadpur’s family and informed them that he had passed away. Mr. Mohammadpur’s body was turned over to his family four days after his death. (Memar Twitter account).

According to some sources, security agents obtained 38 million Tumans from Mr. Mohammadpur’s family in order to turn his body over to them. Other sources have not confirmed payment of money in exchange for the body. Also, some sources said that an autopsy had been performed on Mr. Mohammadpur’s body and that some of his organs had been removed before his body was turned over to his family. Other sources said that the autopsy had been performed at the request of Mr. Mohammadpur’s family and that no organs had been removed. No information is available regarding the results of the autopsy. (Kafe Aban, Iran Kargar, Memar Twitter account).

Officials’ reaction

According to available information, security agents were present at Mr. Mohammadpur’s burial and at subsequent services held for him. There is no official statement by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s authorities concerning Mr. Mohammadpur’s killing. (Memar Twitter account, Iran International).

Family’s reaction

Mr. Mohammadpur’s family had been pressured by security forces not to report on his condition. Although some sources have reported that an autopsy was performed on Mr. Mohammadpur’s body at the request of his family, no information is available regarding the results, or regarding any other follow-ups that might have been done in his case. (Memar Twitter account, Iran International).

Impact on the family

According to available information, Mr. Mohammadpur helped his family out financially in order to make ends meet. It appears that his family has been under more financial duress after his death. (Radio Farda, Memar Twitter account). It has also been said that his family was hopeful that Mr. Mohammadpur would pull through when he was at the hospital, and that his mother had made a Nazr (a solemn vow to God to perform certain tasks, such as feeding the hungry of paying the needy, if God grants the person’s wish). (Memar Twitter account).

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(1)    The slogans included: “People, why are you sitting still, you are your own saviors,” “What a mistake we made, when we had a revolution,” “Reza Shah, may your soul be content,” “Death to the Dictator,” “We will have our rights [and justice], we will not be debased and belittled,” “oil money has disappeared, it was spent on Palestine,” “Khamenei beware: we are people, not hoodlums.”
(2)   Access to internet was re-established to a certain extent in most provinces (with the exception of Khuzestan Province and Sistan and Baluchestan Province); however, citizens did not have access to the worldwide web through their cell phones until early December. During that time, communications were established through phone services and the national internet, which was more easily controlled by the regime.
(3)   Amnesty International Report, “Iran: Details of 304 Deaths in Crackdown on November 2019 Protests”, May 20, 2020.
https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/MDE1323082020ENGLISH.PDF
(4)   IRNA, “The Interior Minister: The Number of Deaths in November 2019 Will be Announced in the Coming Days”, May 31, 2020.
www.irna.ir/news/83805499
(5)   ISNA, “The Number of Deaths in the November Events in Iran was 230, and 2000 Wounded”, June 1, 2020.
https://www.isna.ir/news/99031207389

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