Iranian porters in West of the country are the targets of arbitrary killings by the Iranian border guards

A study of the arbitrary killing of porters in western Iran

Iran HRM, September 18, 2017 - Every year, hundreds of unarmed porters are killed or injured by Iranian security forces near the western borders of Iran mainly in the provinces of Kurdistan, West Azerbaijan and Kermanshah. 

The killing of porters has dramatically increased in recent months. At least 16 back carriers and petty tradesmen have been killed and 12 wounded only during the months of July and August. This is while 49 got killed and 47 wounded throughout 2016, meaning an average of four porters killed per month.

Killing of porters, as the poorest people who have to resort to this type of hard work to make ends meet for their families, has sparked a wave of outrage among the public.

In protest to these killings by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and the State Security forces, demonstrations broke out in the western city of Baneh. A large number of residents gathered outside the Governor’s Office on Tuesday, September 5, demanding an end to the ongoing attacks against the porters.