Warning About the Increase in the Use of Cold and Firearms in Society

The Deputy for Social Health of the Welfare Organization of the country has reported an increase in "public anger" in society and warned about the growing use of "weapons and knives". Seyyed Hassan Mousavi Chelek, in an interview with the government news agency ILNA, stated, "Violence in society has increased." The Deputy of the Welfare Organization also responded to the question of why we are witnessing such a level of violence in society, given that the police have expressed concern about the discovery of military and quasi-military weapons among criminal groups in Tehran, saying: "When the use of these types of weapons increases in society, insecurity, assault, and disrespect for the law also increase, and people and society bear greater costs." According to this official, nothing is harder and more concerning than the feeling of insecurity among the people. In this context, the newspaper Javan, affiliated with the IRGC, reported in August of this year: "These days, anyone who leaves home faces threats that did not exist decades ago." This newspaper, close to security institutions, emphasized in its report: "A few years ago, criminals used firearms and cold weapons only as tools for threats, but these days they easily target their victims with knife stabs or gunshots." Experts believe that one of the most important factors in the prevalence of violence and crime using firearms is the expansion and institutionalization of poverty in society. Accordingly, deprived provinces suffer more from delinquency and violence. This issue was previously addressed by the news website Halosh, which reported: "In recent months, the rate of crime and violence in Sistan and Baluchestan has sharply increased, causing feelings of insecurity among citizens and deep concern among the people." The newspaper Etemad also previously reported on this issue, stating that when the material and spiritual conditions of the people are not met, or the level of provision does not match the level of need, the result is that people will seek to meet their essential and legitimate needs with illegitimate means. Etemad emphasized that statistically, Iran is among the countries where crime and violence are on the rise, and there is hardly a day or week without news of theft or embezzlement. The growing trend of violent crimes in Iran is such that the head of the Fara Ja police intelligence stated on November 10 of this year, "We request the legislative and judicial authorities to increase the penalties for crimes." Mohammad Ghanbari, speaking on a television program, said, "We ask the legislator and the judiciary to create harmony between crime and punishment. Currently, some of these laws are not deterrent." Criticism of the duality of laws in Iran follows the release of a suspect in a sexual assault case. There is a request to close the Qarchak prison; a human rights organization describes it as a "hell" for women and children. More than 28,000 women have referred to forensic medicine in Tehran in the past eight months. Another crime; the murder of 12 people, which officials attribute to "family disputes." Child murder in Tabriz; the killer stated: "My son was not accepted by the welfare organization; I killed him because of his feminine appearance."