Executions in Iran spark protest in Kabul

KABUL): Dozens of residents staged a protest demonstration in the capital Kabul on Saturday against Iran’s refusal to hand over the bodies of Afghan prisoners executed in Iran.

Calling for an end to the executions, the protesters, including relatives of 26 Afghans executed in the neighbouring country over the past two months, gathered before Parliament.

The participants belonged to Maidan Wardak, Khost, Paktia, Farah, Herat, Kabul, Badakhshan, Takhar, Baghlan, Samangan, Nimroz and other provinces.

His cousin was put to death in Iran two months ago, but his body was yet to be released to relatives, 30-year-old Mohammad Ibrahim told Pajhwok Afghan News.

“Iran has turned into a slaughterhouse for Afghans,” he remarked, saying 26 residents of Ghoryan and Shindand districts of Herat province were executed there over the past two months, and their corpses had not been surrendered to kin.

Ibrahim added they had taken to the streets to ask the government to approach Iran to stop the killings and send an envoy there to take up the issue with Iranian officials. “If Iran did not stop the executions, they stop Iranian exports through the Islam Qala Port,” he warned.

Khudai Rahm, another protester and resident of Ghoryan, said his 70-year-old father-in-law Mohammad Gul was executed in Iran a month and half ago, but his body had not been delivered to his family so far.

He alleged more than 85 Afghans were executed in Iran over the past six months and their bodies had not been released to their families. The hour-long demonstration ended with a resolution, asking Parliament and President Karzai to address the issue.

mbg/mud

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