In a disturbing turn of events, Iranian authorities have been accused of demanding exorbitant sums of money from the families of protesters killed during the ongoing unrest in the country. Multiple sources have informed the BBC Persian service that bodies are being held in morgues and hospitals, with security forces refusing to release them unless relatives pay large amounts of money.
One family in the northern city of Rasht reported that they were asked to pay 700 million tomans (around £3,700) to retrieve the body of their loved one, which was being held at the Pour Sina Hospital mortuary alongside at least 70 other slain protesters. In Tehran, the family of a Kurdish seasonal construction worker were told they must pay a staggering one billion tomans (£5,200) to collect his body.
These exorbitant demands have placed an immense financial burden on already-grieving families, many of whom simply cannot afford the fees. A construction worker in Iran typically earns less than £100 per month, making these extortionate sums completely out of reach for the average citizen.
In some cases, hospital staff have taken the initiative to warn relatives in advance, urging them to collect the bodies before security forces arrive and demand payment. One woman, whose husband was killed, recounted the harrowing experience of retrieving his body, stating: “I rode in the back of the pickup truck, crying over his body for seven hours while my children sat in the front seat.”
The BBC Persian service has also reported that officials at Tehran’s Behesht-e Zahra mortuary have been telling families that if they agree to portray their deceased loved ones as members of the Basij paramilitary force who were killed by protesters, the bodies will be released without charge. However, one family member told the BBC that they refused to participate in this “pro-government rally.”
These disturbing revelations shed light on the brutality and callousness of the Iranian authorities’ response to the ongoing protests. The demands for exorbitant sums of money to return the bodies of slain protesters not only add to the immense grief of the families but also highlight the government’s blatant disregard for human rights and its willingness to exploit the suffering of its own citizens.
As the unrest in Iran continues, the international community must remain vigilant and condemn these abhorrent practices in the strongest possible terms. The families of the victims deserve justice, and the Iranian government must be held accountable for its actions.
