Witness name and surname: Withheld
Sex: Female
The place about which he is testifying: Sadra
Witness status: Witness to firing at people
Type of testimony before the Tribunal: Withheld
17 November
I went to gas station intersection from Salahshooran at about 02:00 p.m. I saw there 4 to 5 men in military uniforms who certainly were the Basijis as they were very young and did not seem to be from the military. They were in black-green panther-design military uniforms, with bullet-proof vests and safety helmets with masks. Their faces were not covered. All of them carried weapons. I don’t know the type of weapon they carried, whether it was Kalashnikov or not. The people had burned two car tyres and blocked the gas station intersection. When I arrived there one of those (Basijis) came forward and said: ‘If you get hit by a bullet, it’s your own doing; go back home quickly.’ I did not see more than eight or nine militia men in the area of gas station and Falakeh Sangi. They were firing shots. Others were scattered in alleys. Some of them had blocked Golestan and a number of them were on their way. Another group were at the Mowlana Intersection, they said. I accompanied by a number of women went to Falakeh Sangi through the lanes and by-lanes. There were many militia men in the lanes and by-lanes who fired tear gas and fired shots.
We went towards the main road. The people had lighted fire in the middle of the road and were shouting slogans very bravely. There the same militia men in military uniforms were there with weapons in their hands and were firing shots at the people. Some of them fired in the air while others fired directly on the chests of the people. They fired at the people who were protesting on the main road and those in the middle of the road. When they saw that the people were inside the alleys, they would come and fire tear gas persistently and directly at the people and the people would run away. When they fired tear gas, many would fall on the ground while running away. Many would have difficulty breathing. You could see them dropping down right there on the spot. We were afraid that the militia would come and open fire on them. The militia knew that the people had no weapons and arms; they did not throw even one stone. There was not even one ambulance on the street.
There was a man, bloodied on the face, who was not in good condition at all. Of course, it was not critical. I don’t know if he was hit by a bullet or not; I only know that he was injured. He had tied his head with a piece of cloth. His face and dress were bloodied. That injured man said that a young boy was shot at between the gas station and Falakeh Sangi, and in all likelihood he had died. All those people around there were young and teenagers. Elderly people were very few. Women were there in large numbers. The people tried, as far as it was possible, to run through fire and smoke and get to Falakeh Sangi. The militia followed us. We walked on foot towards Falakeh Sangi. Regretfully we heard there that a number of people were hit by the bullets and had died; this news was circulated from person to person. However, the people were able to drag them out and to take them to a safe place. I did not follow to see if the people had died or not. In fact, you could not do it. On Sunday I only saw a number of Basijis. I saw with my own eyes that a number of them would come in the alleys and would fire shots directly at the people. I can dare say that the bullets were from assault weapons. By 9 o’clock when it became relatively calm, we went home. But many others had remained there until late at night. I believe (the protests) continued up to midnight, or even later. (When I came home) I could hear the sound of firing.
(On that day) there were gatherings of people in Moaliabad, at the gas station, at the Zendan Intersection, Adelabad, towards Hashemi, Valfajr, Bushahr Road, towards Mosaddagh and Darvazeh Qoran.
18 November
I walked to Falakeh Sangi at about 09:00 a.m. I saw a lot of (shells of) hunting as well as assault bullets on the road. I even saw a number of military personnel and military vehicles. They were stationed at Falakeh Sangi. On the other side of the road a number of militia men were standing in grey panther-design uniforms. There were no cars, taxis or buses. I took a taxi there and went towards Moaliabad. At the beginning of Sadra, gas station and Golestan there were many demonstrations. There were many military men who were stationed there. They were too many towards Moaliabad. The forces that were standing from Sadra to Moaliabad Bridge were mostly the Sepah. Their uniforms were solid dark green. All of them were wearing bullet-proof vests and safety helmets peculiar to them and carrying batons and equipment that they are required to carry. There were no policemen. There were Security Guards too at the beginning of Sadra, Golestan, and gas station up to Moaliabad Bridge who, as soon as they heard some disturbances, would come out on the street. The Security Guards were in dark green uniforms, safety helmets, and bullet-proof vests and carried batons. The Basijis were not there who only yesterday were there and firing shots at people. We did not see so many Security Guards and military personnel the day before; perhaps they had been able to organize themselves. We were in very large numbers in Moaliabad but all of us were just onlookers; as soon as we saw the Security Guards, we would disperse. There were a lot of skirmishes early in the morning but had subsided after that. Although it was raining still the people had come out. However, it stopped in the afternoon. We heard late at night on Monday that a thirty-year old man was hit on his leg by a bullet. Three or four people were around him. They picked him up quickly and took him away. Apparently, they had taken him to a house to given him medical aid. Later they said they wanted to return (to the demonstrations) and for that reason had not taken him to the hospital. As far as I have heard, those who were injured were taken to private homes. If they took them to the hospital, it was required to immediately notify (the authorities). Obviously, they had sent the military men to surround the hospitals. The man that I saw was 24 to 28 years old; he was injured and was taken in all probability to a house.
I heard that a number of people were killed (in Sadra). I also heard a number of people were killed in the demonstrations of “Guyim Township.” I was somewhat familiar with the father of a 20+ years old young man who was killed in the protests of Guyim. They had issued threats to his family. They had told them not to hold any ceremonies whatsoever. They arrested in Guyim the husband of a woman who I know. He was kept in detention for a number of days. They had beaten him up badly and had threatened him. This woman was sick for a number of days. She didn’t hope that her husband would return alive. They released her husband after three weeks. Her husband was in a very bad mental condition.
