Police fatally shot 19-year-old in northern Iran, rights group says
A 19-year-old man was killed after being shot twice in the head by police during a confrontation at a beach in northern Iran, the Norway-based Hengaw rights group reported.
A 19-year-old man was killed after being shot twice in the head by police during a confrontation at a beach in northern Iran, the Norway-based Hengaw rights group reported.
Sahel Nasiri and his friend Benyamin Gholami were approached by police for a body search and an attempt to confiscate their motorcycle on Friday evening at Zibakenar Beach in Iran’s Gilan province, Hengaw’s report said, according to local sources.
When Nasiri resisted and tried to mount the vehicle, officers shot him twice in the head at close range, killing him.
Nasiri’s body was transferred to the local police station that night, and his friend Gholami was taken into custody, the report said.
Gilan province police said Nasiri and another motorcyclist had been carrying crystal meth, marijuana, and hashish. They said he tried to disarm officers and was “neutralized” after a warning shot failed to stop him.
Nasiri’s death triggered protests by residents of Zibakenar, who set fire to banners on the local police station, according to Hengaw.
The rights group said the demonstrations ended after security forces stormed the area and clashed with protesters.
Nasiri’s body was handed over to his family following hours of protests and threats from authorities and was buried in his hometown on Saturday, the group added.
