Murder at the Police Station
The murder at the police station gained widespread attention on Wednesday, August 29, following the release of images showing the lifeless body of a young man in a morgue in Langarud.
The sensitivity arose because the body showed signs of injury, and some news sources, identifying him as Mohammad Mir Mousavi, reported that he was a suspect who died while in custody, a report that was confirmed by the country’s official authorities.
However, violent behavior by the police is not unprecedented. In August, there was also widespread negative reaction in society to reports of violent treatment by officers over the hijab issue involving two teenage girls, forcing the police to respond and issue a statement.
The incident of the police shooting at Arezou Badri, which led to her hospitalization and even a period in a coma, also drew negative public reaction, prompting the police to provide explanations again. However, the full details of this incident are still unclear.
Although reports of inappropriate and violent behavior by officers occasionally surface in the media, the handling of these cases by military courts is rarely made public.
Such incidents and behaviors by an institution that should ensure community safety and fully enforce laws raise the question of what gaps and abnormalities lead to occasional violations of citizens’ rights, regardless of whether they are suspects or not.
Are the existing gaps related to laws or police personnel training? Sometimes there is doubt in society that the actions taken against offending officers may not have been sufficiently educational and deterrent.
Prosecutor’s Reaction: Five Arrested
In this case, the judiciary’s response was swift and notable. Hours after the release of these images, Ebrahim Ansari, the public prosecutor of Lahijan, announced the arrest of five police officers involved in this case. Judicial officials of the county immediately attended the scene and took the investigation seriously.
According to Ansari, a special investigator has been appointed for this case. The issue was also raised and given special attention in the Special Events Follow-up Committee of the provincial judiciary, attended by provincial judicial officials.
The Citizen Rights Committee of Gilan province has traveled to Lahijan, and thorough judicial investigations and reviews are ongoing.
Police Reaction: Station Commander Dismissed
The police, as one of the parties involved in this case, broke their silence and issued two statements regarding the death of this young man. In the first statement, released on Thursday, August 30, the reason for his arrest was mentioned. On Thursday, July 22, in the village of Nasr Kiadeh, part of Lahijan county, a fight was repeatedly reported to the local station by residents. In this altercation, individuals attacked each other, and according to the statements of those seeking help, the source of the conflict was the late Mir Mousavi, whose vehicle, as documented in the images, was completely destroyed and set on fire.
This incident caused fear and panic among the local residents, and the police arrested all involved, including the late Mir Mousavi, as per their inherent and legal duty.
The statement further mentions what transpired at the police station. The deceased began cursing, refusing to comply with police orders, and engaging in altercations with officers, a situation that persisted until he was taken to the detention center.
Unfortunately, due to the excitement caused by the friction between the late Mir Mousavi and the police officers, the lack of control over anger and emotions by some staff, and neglect of the suspect’s condition, this incident occurred. The cause of death, considering the events before the police’s arrival and the physical and mental condition of the deceased, is under investigation by the forensic medicine. The deceased had previously been involved in several acts of violence and altercations and had been sentenced to nine months in prison in 2020 for resisting arrest. The behavior exhibited by some officers was contrary to the police’s professional conduct and is completely unacceptable, which is why the individuals involved have been handed over to the judiciary.
The second police statement was released yesterday, announcing the dismissal of the station commander and the suspension of other personnel involved in the incident, an action ordered by Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Radan, the national police commander.
The statement also noted that if negligence and inattention by other police managers are confirmed, appropriate disciplinary actions will be implemented.
The cause of death, considering the events before the police’s arrival and the physical and mental condition of the deceased, is under investigation by the forensic medicine. The behavior exhibited by some officers was contrary to the police’s professional conduct and is completely unacceptable, which is why the individuals involved have been handed over to the judiciary.
Government Reaction: President Orders Comprehensive Investigation
Following this incident, President Masoud Pezeshkian, in line with his promise to the people to uphold their rights, tasked Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni with a comprehensive investigation of the incident and ordered the formation of a committee to thoroughly examine the matter and present its final report to the Cabinet as soon as possible.
Hours after the President’s order to investigate the incident in Lahijan, a special delegation from the Interior Ministry, at Eskandar Momeni’s directive, headed to the county.
According to published reports, the findings of this delegation will be shared not only with the President and the Cabinet but also with the public.
Reactions to the Lahijan Incident: Bad Event, Good Event
The negative repercussions of this incident, along with the President’s swift order to address the case, prompted well-known political figures to react.
Gholamhossein Karbaschi, editor-in-chief of the Ham-Mihan newspaper, shared a video on social media platform X of Masoud Pezeshkian’s speech in parliament, where he cited events from 2012 and quoted Imam Ali (AS) stating that officers should not attack people like predatory animals and beat them. He wrote that the tragedy that befell Mohammad Mir Mousavi, regardless of the reasons for his arrest, is the worst event in the early days of this government’s tenure.
Fortunately, the President is diligently pursuing the matter. We hope that the results will be announced transparently and promptly, as is consistent with the promises repeatedly made.
Political analyst Ahmad Zaidabadi also wrote on his Telegram channel that Dr. Pezeshkian’s reaction to the tragic Lahijan incident and the order to form a committee for a swift investigation is a positive sign of the President’s commitment and seriousness in fulfilling his promises, including the implementation of justice.
In all societies worldwide, regardless of the type of government, there is a possibility of illegal acts or crimes committed by government agents, especially security agencies. What distinguishes political systems is not whether criminal acts are committed by their forces, but rather how the political system responds to those acts.
He further emphasized that in totalitarian systems, there is generally no possibility of exposing and publicly discussing such crimes, allowing government agents to commit any form of oppression and crime against citizens while keeping it hidden.
In authoritarian systems, illegal actions by government forces can be exposed to some extent, but there is little hope for fair accountability, and usually, the matter is resolved with quasi-legal or entirely coercive measures. In democratic systems, however, both the crime itself can be exposed, and whistleblowers, especially the media, have the freedom and security to investigate and publicly share the results. Additionally, the majority of the public has relative confidence in fair judicial proceedings regarding the crime, and if the outcome is not seen as transparent and fair, they retain the right to civil and peaceful protest.
In any case, the ability of the domestic media to fearlessly expose illegal acts and the President’s order for immediate and fair investigation are both considered positive signs.
Azar Mansouri, head of the Reform Front, also wrote on this matter, expressing hope that the President’s order to investigate the Lahijan tragedy will lead to the condemnation and punishment of those responsible for the torture and death of Mohammad Mir Mousavi and the eradication of such inhumane behaviors in detention centers.
Hossein Alaei, former commander of the IRGC Navy and university professor, also wrote in a note titled ‘The Need for Police Training,’ stating that with the news of Mr. Mohammad Mir Mousavi’s death after being detained by Lahijan police, reportedly due to beatings by some police officers, the question arises in some people’s minds as to why such incidents occur from time to time. Not long ago, a young woman fell into a coma due to police shooting, and her family is still worried about her well-being.
In the fall of 2022, everyone saw what the case of Mahsa Amini, which occurred in a police detention center, did to the country, leading to the death of several people in street protests and the spread of women’s less restrictive hijab, affecting all branches of the government due to police behavior.
In another part of his note, he emphasized that perhaps these incidents have made the country’s officials realize that police personnel, from top to bottom, should be trained on how to behave properly with people and maintain composure in stressful situations to ensure the peace and comfort of society.
They should even be trained on how to speak and communicate, using beautiful phrases and soft words to soothe the public.
Emadeddin Baghi, journalist and sociologist, also reacted to the incident on social media platform X, writing that it was sad news.
He noted that the prosecutor’s swift action in arresting 5 officers was a good sign, but the fact that these incidents are only noticed when they become public is a bad sign.
If judicial and security institutions genuinely want to prevent the recurrence of these crimes, they should address cases that have not been publicized.
No Legal Gap: Officials Should Act
Abdolsamad Khorramshahi, lawyer and attorney, emphasized in an interview with Ham-Mihan that there is no legal gap regarding police behavior with citizens. The duties of police officers and judicial officers are clearly defined by law. According to the law, if officers encounter an obvious crime, they should at most escort the individual who committed the crime to the police station and await the judge’s orders, acting accordingly.
Police officers can only intervene to this extent and have no right to use violence unless the suspect or the person who committed the crime engages in dangerous actions, in which case officers can respond in kind and must arrest them.
In response to the question of the extent of police retaliation against suspects, he stated that all these situations are governed by law. Even for dangerous criminals who resort to using weapons, there is a law governing the use of firearms, specifying under what conditions officers can use their weapons.
However, when dealing with suspects or individuals who are not dangerous or have not committed an obvious crime, and those who only need to be detained, officers should behave respectfully and escort them to the police station.
Officers cannot arrest individuals arbitrarily and without authorization.
He also emphasized that the police can detain a suspect for a maximum of 24 hours, after which a judicial order must be issued.
According to Article 38 of the Constitution, Article 7 of the Criminal Procedure Code, and the law prohibiting torture, any disrespect, cursing, use of insulting and derogatory language, any beating, physical confrontation, and psychological pressure on the suspect are prohibited.
This lawyer added that if officers behave inappropriately with individuals, resulting in bodily or financial harm, they will be punished according to Article 578 of the Islamic Penal Code.
As mentioned earlier, we occasionally witness violent behavior by police officers. Despite the adequacy of laws in this area, why do such incidents occur? Khorramshahi answers that these incidents are either due to insufficient training or emotional and impulsive actions by officers, possibly as a way to relieve their own psychological stress due to their problems.
As we have seen, such behaviors have negative repercussions in society, negatively affecting the public’s perception of the police, who should inspire hope and provide a sense of security and support.
It is essential for police authorities to take serious action against those who act arbitrarily and emotionally, contrary to the law, by assaulting or insulting individuals.
He emphasized that fortunately, the authorities have promptly pursued the matter in this incident. Given the sensitivity of the issue, it is imperative for the police authorities to take strong action against such conduct.
People worldwide feel secure when they see the police. If such actions cause fear and concern among the public, it is certainly against the goals of the system and authorities, as well as contrary to the mission and duty of the police.