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Caught in the crossfire?

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Kian Pirfalak was the youngest known victim of the Iranian Republic’s retaliation against WLF protests. He was only 9 years old when he was murdered. He was in his family car when he was hit by bullets fired by “plainclothes” government officers.[1] Kian Pirfalak has been venerated as yet another martyr of this revolution. An act of indiscriminate state violence and fatal repression squandered his youth, his innocence, and his potential. Kian stands out as a symbol of squandered potential life. He said he wanted to be an inventor in a clip of him testing a science project, we can see his delight in his schoolwork. Every time I hear his voice I feel my heart break apart. 



The retaliation of the state against Kian’s family was rapid; after the funeral of her son, Zeynab Molaei-Rad was brought on television to redact her statements about the government's involvement with the murder of her son. In addition to this public intimidation, 2 months after Kian Pirfalak’s murder, Molaei-Rad was also inexplicably barred from continuing her position as a teacher, she was denied a termination letter when she confronted the state’s education security officials as reported by The channel of the Coordinating Council of Trade Union Organizations of Iranian Cultivators in a telegram channel.[5][6] This speaks to the state's crushing indifference to its people's condition, utilizing forceful manipulation to maintain its image in the face of atrocities. 
 
 

  (Oh, #Khusestan now the turn has come to the children, my son! you wanted a rainbow, they sewn a bullet into your thin body... #Kian_Pirfalak#Izeh)

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Iran Human Rights (@centerforhumanrights)


 

[1] Dehghanpisheh, Babak. "The killing of a 9-year-old boy further ignites Iran's anti-government protests." The Washington Post, November 18, 2022, World: Middle East. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/11/18/iran-protests-izeh-kian-pirfalak/.
[2] Meta. Instagram.com. Last modified June 5, 2024. https://www.instagram.com/centerforhumanrights/p/CtHTfUwOsS9/?img_index=1.
[3} N/A. "Iran: Families of Detained and Killed Protesters Beaten, Threatened to Stay Silent." Center for Human Rights in Iran. Last modified January 25, 2023. https://iranhumanrights.org/2023/01/iran-families-of-detained-and-killed-protesters-beaten-threatened-to-stay-silent/.
[4] ———. "Zeynab Molaei Rad, the mother of Kian Pirfalak, suspended from her job." Women's Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran. Last modified January 25, 2023. https://wncri.org/2023/01/25/zeynab-molaei-rad/.
[5] Petti, Matthew. "Iranian Gov't Supporters Use Social Media to Deny Killing Nine Year Old." Matthew's Notebook. Substack. Last modified November 25, 2022. https://www.pettimatthew.com/p/iranian-govt-supporters-use-social.
[6] Telegram. Last modified January 21, 2023. https://t.me/kashowra/14903.
[7 ] X. Last modified November 17, 2022. https://x.com/rezahakbari/status/1593222057533542401?lang=en.
[8] X. Last modified November 17, 2022. https://x.com/chavoshi1/status/1593183937014403075.

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  1. Having gone 40 days without a rainbow... Kian Pirfalak

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