Thousands in Mahabad protests the killing of young Kurd

Kurdmedia:

Thousands of Kurds protested the murder of the Kurdish youth Shivane Qadri by Iranian Pasdarans and paramilitary Village Guards in the city of Mahabad in eastern Kurdistan.

Demonstrations have been held at the ’Independence Square’, ’Freedom Square’, Felekeya Sida, Sima, Mela Cami and Mewlewi in the city of Mahabad. Thousands of Kurds have joined the demonstrations. Kurdish youth have also attacked the home of the Kurdish Islamic cleric Mullah Sohrabi who is known for his close ties to the Iranian government. READ MORE

Shivane Qadri was killed on July 9 in the district of ’Pisttep’ in Mahabad. Iranian troops together with 60 Kurdish paramilitary Village Guards had approached Qadri and a group of young Kurds sitting by a small fountain. Qadri had stood up and greeted the soldiers and asked them what was going on. The troops had shot Qadri in the foot without any warning.

"When he approached the soldiers, he was shot in the foot. He tried to escape telling the soldiers not to shoot. But they shot him again but this time in the stomach. A third shot hit him close to the groin. He was still alive and the soldiers tied him to a military vehicle and dragged him around the city", Qadri’s brother Ebubekir Qadri said to the Kurdish news agency MHA.

Shivane Qadri was known as a leader among the Kurdish youth and had organized protests against the Iranian government. During the recent presidential elections in Iran, he had organized the destruction of ballots in three different voting centrals in Mahabad to protest the elections, which most Kurds in East Kurdistan boycotted.

"The state is trying to scare the Kurdish youth by killing Shivane. But Shivane became a greater symbol and the youth is on their feet now", a youth who called himself ’Hiwa’ told MHA.

Protests against the killing of Shivane are continuing in Mahabad. Hundreds of militant youths have organized attacks against homes of Kurdish collaborators working with the Iranian government. A spokesman for the youth states that they have taken precautions against Iranian military and police operations against the youth and that they will continue with their protests and actions.