Human Rights Watch Report on 'Deadly' Attacks by Iranian Security Forces on Kolbars

Human Rights Watch, in a research report, states that Iranian officials and military forces use 'excessive and deadly force' against Kurdish kolbars in border areas. On Monday, July 10, the organization announced that based on interviews with kolbars, it concluded that these individuals have 'limited access to justice' and that Iranian authorities have 'abused' detained kolbars. The report points to the 'suppression and marginalization' of Iranian Kurdish communities by the Islamic Republic and the high rates of poverty and unemployment as one of the main drivers for kolbari in Kurdistan, stating that the dangers posed by Iranian security forces have compounded the 'risks and hardships' of kolbars' work. Nahid Naghibandi, the head of Iran research at Human Rights Watch, stated that Iranian officials must create sustainable economic opportunities in the border areas of Kurdistan, saying: 'The excessive use of deadly force by security forces against Kurdish kolbars is another way the Islamic Republic authorities suppress Kurdish communities.' The report notes that in the past year, '52 kolbars' have been killed by gunfire from officials. The organization indicated that between October 2021 and April 2024, it interviewed 13 kolbars or their survivors, revealing that the Islamic Republic's police and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps are among the forces that target kolbars with gunfire. All interviewees were Kurdish, and the incidents they referred to occurred in the provinces of West Azerbaijan and Kermanshah. Six interviewees stated that Iranian security forces targeted them and shot at them, and they also witnessed other kolbars being shot. Two individuals reported that Iranian security forces shot their relatives who were kolbars, resulting in their deaths, while one individual mentioned losing a leg after stepping on a landmine. Among these individuals, two who lost limbs due to landmine explosions stated that after the incident, Iranian security forces arrested them with beatings. Kolbars who spoke with the organization reported that Iranian military forces shot at them 'without warning' or attacked them 'even when they were not carrying goods.' In addition to direct gunfire, landmines at the border also cause severe injuries and loss of limbs for kolbars. These mines are remnants of the Iran-Iraq war, but some kolbars believe that Iranian border forces have also planted many mines in their paths in recent years. The Kurdish news agency Kurdpa reported that in the year 1400 (2021-2022), at least 44 kolbars were killed while working, and 463 were injured, with the report indicating that Iranian military forces were responsible for over 80% of these casualties. According to the report, at least 28 of the victims were children. Human Rights Watch noted that the possibility of achieving justice is very difficult for kolbars due to 'social and economic marginalization,' stating that despite the 'frequent and deadly' encounters with Iranian forces, these citizens' access to legal authorities is 'minimal' and accountability from officials in this regard is 'rare.' The organization obtained evidence from one of the few courts that was established due to a kolbar being shot in 1399 (2020) and ruled in favor of kolbars. According to this court, border guards were ordered to pay compensation, but this amount was never paid. Human Rights Watch also mentioned that in 2022, a local office of Iranian lawyers sent a letter to the governor of West Azerbaijan requesting an investigation into unresolved cases of landmine victims. The lawyers referred to over 400 open cases, some of which are over 25 years old, and after informing the governor's office, no response was given to them. The lawyers stated that the government is responsible for compensating victims due to the failure to clear landmines. Kolbars are workers who carry heavy goods on their backs across rivers, snowy mountains, and difficult terrains between Iran and Iraq to earn a meager income. After a long period of denial of such a phenomenon, government officials, including during provincial trips to Kurdish areas, have repeatedly promised to address health insurance or legalize their work, but these promises have yet to be fulfilled.