Fars Judiciary Chief Confirms Death of Two During Kazeroon Protests

The Chief Justice of Fars Province reported the death of one person during protests on Thursday in Kazeroon, stating that a total of two people have died and 48 have been injured in recent protests. According to ILNA news agency, Ali Alqasi announced on Saturday, May 29, that the Kazeroon protests have "cost the people and the system a lot" and threatened to take "decisive action" against "instigators" and attackers on government centers. Recent events in Kazeroon were in protest against the Interior Ministry's plan to separate several cities and villages from Kazeroon and create a new county named "Kohchenar". Local residents reported that protests continued on Saturday. Reports also indicated internet outages on Saturday and clashes between police forces and protesters demanding the return of the deceased's bodies. One video sent to Radio Farda showed protesters gathering in Shahid Square in Kazeroon with a significant presence of security forces. Previously, while some sources reported at least three deaths and many injuries and arrests during the protest on Wednesday night, the Fars governor confirmed only one death. However, on Saturday, the Chief Justice of Fars provided details about police confrontations with protesters, stating that after Wednesday night’s protests, police arrested 15 individuals who later attacked the police station. He mentioned that following this "attack", one person was killed and another injured due to police gunfire. Alqasi also stated that on Thursday, a group of protesters "destroyed and set fire to public and government property, resulting in another death and several injuries". He announced that in the recent protests in Kazeroon, "a total of 2 people have died and 48 have been injured, with a significant number of the injured being police forces". Previously, the Fars governor and his political deputy only mentioned the firing of warning shots without referring to direct fire at protesters. On Thursday evening, May 27, the Iranian Interior Ministry announced that the plan to create a new county in Kazeroon had been halted and threatened to take "decisive legal action against disruptors of public order and security". However, some protesters have called the Interior Ministry's announcement of halting the new county plan a "trick" to end the protests, which continue in the city. According to published videos, security forces are also widely present in various parts of Kazeroon, and internet services have been cut off. On Friday, Hadi Pajoohesh Jahromi, the political deputy of the Fars governor, reported that in the early hours of that day, a group of protesters "set fire to a bank building in Kazeroon and caused damage to public property and police vehicles". He added that protesters on Thursday also "attacked police forces and set two police cars on fire". On Saturday, the Chief Justice of Fars announced that "instigators" of the recent protests would be arrested "as soon as possible" after being identified by security and police agencies, and reported that a committee of intelligence, security, and police agencies, under the supervision of the Kazeroon prosecutor, has been formed to examine the role of each of the arrested individuals. According to the previous plan of the Interior Ministry, several cities and districts were to be separated from this county to create a new county named "Kohchenar", derived from the two districts of "Kohmareh Noudan" (now called Qaemiyeh) and "Chenareh Shahijan". Protesters view this plan as a means of "disintegrating Kazeroon". The creation of the new county has also been a subject of conflict among Kazeroon officials. Local media reported that while Mohammad Khorsand, the Friday prayer leader of Kazeroon, opposes the creation of the new county, Hossein Razazadeh, the representative of Kazeroon in parliament, has sought to separate his hometown (Qaemiyeh) from Kazeroon. The violent response to the Kazeroon protests has also drawn reactions from various political figures and groups. Reza Pahlavi, the son of the last king of Iran, referred to the events in Kazeroon as "another crime" by the "occupier of Iran" in a tweet, praising the "steadfastness and bravery" of the people of this city. The National Council of Resistance, an alliance including the People's Mujahedin of Iran and some aligned groups, also issued a statement reporting the deaths of "at least two demonstrators" and a "large number" of injured and arrested individuals during the protests on Wednesday night. The protests in Kazeroon also prompted a reaction from U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who tweeted on Friday that they support the Iranian people protesting against the repressive government. He emphasized that three deaths [during these protests] and the internet shutdown reveal the true nature of this government.