Borujerd: Female Student Anahita Amirpour Fatally Shot by Government Forces

Hengaw: Sunday, January 21, 2024

A young female student from Kohdasht, Anahita Amirpour, lost her life due to gunfire from plainclothes forces of the Intelligence Department in Borujerd city, Lorestan province. Security institutions are allegedly pressuring the family and friends of the student, attempting to associate this incident with the explosions in Kerman. This move is perceived as an effort to manipulate the deliberate government-sanctioned murder into a security case through scenario fabrication.

According to a report obtained by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, on the evening of Friday, January 19, 2024, plainclothes forces from the Borujerd Intelligence Department, situated in the Nizamabad area of the city, opened fire on the occupants of a Peugeot 206 car. This incident led to the death of Anahita Amirpour, a 20-year-old female student in her first semester of physical education at Borujerd Islamic Azad University.

"M. Jalaifar" from Borujerd and the car's driver, also a student, sustained serious injuries and are presently receiving treatment in the special care department of Chamran Hospital in Borujerd.

According to a reliable source, the incident unfolded when plainclothes forces from the Intelligence Department hastily approached the car of the two students, instructing them to stop and exit the vehicle. Due to their civilian attire, the driver, alarmed, attempted to flee, and subsequently, Intelligence Department police opened fire on the two young students.

Hengaw has received information that security agencies have exerted pressure on the family and friends of these two students over the last two days, urging them not to disclose details about the incident. Today, on Sunday, two personnel from Chamran Hospital in Borujerd were reportedly summoned by the intelligence department of the city and faced severe threats.

Notably, the security and law enforcement agencies of Borujerd have refrained from providing any comments on this incident. However, in the initial response to the news, Muslim Moradi, the governor of the city, informed state media: "In response to the assassinations of agents affiliated with global arrogance in Kerman, Sistan-Balochistan, and to decisively address criminal activities, military and law enforcement forces have been on full alert in recent days to investigate, monitor, and address any individuals disturbing societal security."

Continuing his statement, Moradi explained, "In this regard, the police forces of Borujerd city suspected a Peugeot 206 car. After instructing the car to stop, its two occupants, both individuals, allegedly ignored repeated warnings from the police officers and attempted to flee."

Moradi concluded without disclosing the identities of the two students, mentioning that one of them passed away after being transported to the hospital, while the other is currently receiving medical care. Contrary to the governor's account, Hengaw sources maintain that the Intelligence Department forces fired on these two young students, resulting in the loss of Anahita Amirpour's life.

Civil activists in Borujerd assert that the governor and local security institutions are seeking to justify the government's role in the state-sanctioned killings of the female student. They allege that officials are connecting the city's security situation to the explosions during Qassem Soleimani's death anniversary in Kerman and recent conflicts in Sistan-Balochistan. The activists argue that this strategy is intended to pressure civil society into silence regarding the state-sanctioned killing of Anahita.