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Iran’s Kurdish city under de facto martial
law, Mahabad
21.7.2005
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Iran-Kurdistan,
Jul. 21 – The Kurdish city of Mahabad, north-west
Iran, was brought under de facto martial law as the
paramilitary police, the Revolutionary Guards, and
plainclothes agents of the secret police, the
Ministry of Intelligence and Security, moved in to
take control of the city after a week of unrest and
deadly clashes between residents and local security
forces.
The move came after extra police reinforcements
brought in from neighbouring towns to put down the
ongoing anti-government protests failed to restore
calm in the city. |
Photo: Iran Focus |
Anti-government
demonstrations and unrest in the mainly Kurdish
cities and towns in western Iran have alarmed the
authorities. Protests and clashes have been reported
in Bonab, Sanandaj, Orumieh, Naqadeh, and Miandoab.
In Mahabad, the city’s main stadium, the local radio
and television headquarters, and the Central Post
Office have been commandeered as temporary bases for
security forces and troops.
Heavy police presence has been reported at every
major junction, square, and highway in and around
Mahabad. A large number of policemen and undercover
agents have been patrolling the area around Heyvanat
Square, where much of the hit-and-run clashes took
place.
Many of those arrested by security agents were being
taken to the nearby city of Orumieh for
interrogation, according to Mahabad residents.
A demonstration started on Wednesday evening in the
nearby town of Piranshahr in support of “the
resistance by the people of Mahabad”. People there
chanted slogans against the Iranian regime. The
protest lasted for several hours and at least 10
people were arrested, eye-witnesses said.
The mass protests were sparked by the cold-blooded
murder of a young Kurdish man, Shovan Qaderi, who
had been involved in recent anti-government
demonstrations in Mahabad. Security forces shot the
unarmed political activist at point blank, tied his
body to a Toyota jeep and dragged him in the streets
“to teach a lesson” to the local people.
Since then, protests have been continuing every day.
At least one local police commander was killed and
several hundred people have been arrested during the
numerous hit-and-run clashes and house-to-house
raids.
Seyyed Maarouf Samadi, the governor of Mahabad, said
on Wednesday that reinforcements had been brought in
to help “in the interrogation of suspects”. He added
that intelligence obtained by the agents would be
transmitted to their headquarters in Tehran for
evaluation.
www.iranfocus.com
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