Identity of One of the Victims of Recent Popular Protests in Fardis, Karaj Confirmed
Ashur Kalta, an Assyrian citizen residing in Fardis, Karaj, lost his life during Iran’s recent popular protests as a result of a direct shot fired by security forces.
An informed source said on Tuesday, December 10, that this Christian citizen died on Sunday, November 17, after being hit by a bullet in his chest, and his family learned of the incident through an anonymous phone call. Initially, they were told he had died in a traffic accident.
Following this phone call, the family’s continuous efforts to find Mr. Kalta’s body were unsuccessful until another phone call informed them to go to the coroner’s office for body identification.
According to this informed source, the family learned the actual cause of death upon seeing Mr. Kalta’s body at the coroner’s office. Based on available evidence, the main cause of death was a bullet striking the heart and exiting through the left shoulder area.
Based on available information, the body of this Christian citizen was handed over to his family after obtaining a commitment not to inform the media and to hold only a small family ceremony. The body of this Assyrian citizen was buried on November 20 in the Assyrian and Catholic Chaldean cemetery in Islamshahr.
Following a sudden surge in gasoline prices, Iran witnessed widespread popular protests against the Islamic Republic. On Friday, November 15, following the sudden announcement of gasoline price increases, protests occurred in various Iranian cities. Just one day after the protests began, on Saturday night, November 16, the Islamic Republic almost completely shut down the internet.
Previously, Amnesty International stated in its latest report on the suppression of popular protests in November that according to credible reports received by the organization, at least 208 people were killed in these protests, though the actual number of deaths is likely higher.
Brian Hook, the U.S. Special Representative for Iran, also said on Thursday, December 5, during a press conference while referring to Iran’s popular protests, that he considered it the biggest crisis in the history of the Islamic Republic, and stated that since the beginning of protests, perhaps 1,000 people have been killed in Iran; however, the Iranian regime does not allow accurate reporting.
President Donald Trump also reacted on Tuesday, December 3, to the Iranian government’s treatment of protesters and said on the sidelines of the NATO summit: It is very unfortunate that protesters in Iran were killed simply because they protested.
The U.S. president, on the sidelines of this summit, referred several times to the issue of Iranian protesters and American support for the Iranian people, and said: Protesters in Iran are seeking freedom, and we fully support them.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also said on Monday, December 2, during a speech at the University of Louisville, while acknowledging the domestic reasons for protests in some Middle Eastern countries, and also referred to the role of the Islamic Republic in these countries, stating that the Iranian regime is the common factor behind all regional protests.
Source: Voice of America
