Iran killed 23 children during crackdown on protests, Amnesty International claims

Iranian security forces killed 23 children, mostly with live ammunition, during a crackdown on anti-government protests last November, Amnesty International claimed. Protests broke out in Iran on November 15 after the announcement of a petrol price rise. The authorities responded with aggressive tactics that the human rights group has said left 304 people dead, a figure vehemently disputed by Tehran. Amnesty said in its new report, released on Tuesday, that it had evidence that at least 23 children were killed, with 22 of them killed by the security forces "unlawfully firing live ammunition at unarmed protesters and bystanders." The group also claims that relatives of some of the children killed described being subjected to harassment and intimidation, including surveillance and interrogations by intelligence and security officials. The children killed included 22 boys, aged between 12 and 17, and a girl reportedly aged between eight and 12. Twelve of the 23 deaths - recorded in 13 cities in six provinces across the country - took place on November 16, a further eight on November 17, and three on November 18, the report claims.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2PMbx6N