Kolbari (cross-border porterage) is not legally recognized within the legal system of the Islamic Republic of Iran. As a result, kolbars receive no protection under the country’s labor or social security laws. In addition to facing severe physical risks, kolbars struggle with extreme economic hardship and insecurity.
Following the establishment of the Islamic Republic and the introduction of religious laws, along with the imposition of international sanctions, Iran was effectively excluded from the global trade system. Consequently, Iranian citizens lost direct access to branded and reputable international goods.
On the other hand, the lack of proper economic infrastructure and the Iranian government’s securitized approach toward Kurdistan have led to high levels of unemployment in the provinces of West Azerbaijan, Kurdistan, Kermanshah, and Ilam. In these regions, kolbari has become the primary means of livelihood for a significant portion of the population.
Kolbars are constantly exposed to life-threatening dangers, both from border patrol forces of the Islamic Republic and natural hazards such as falling from heights, frostbite, and avalanches.
A kolbar from Kurdistan province, speaking under the pseudonym “Hamed” in an interview with the Hana Human Rights Organization, recounted how border guards mistreat kolbars, extort bribes, and offer extremely low compensation for grueling labor. The uncertainty surrounding their fate after arrest reflects the broader context of their harsh and inhumane living conditions.
According to research conducted by Hana Human Rights Organization, two-thirds of kolbars fall within the age range of 13 to 24 years, while the remaining one-third are between 24 and 70 years old. Many of them are married and some even hold university degrees.
Given that graduates should be working in public or private institutions and adolescents should, according to international human rights norms, be in school, their involvement in kolbarî clearly illustrates that this is not a legitimate occupation but a severe form of social harm.
In recent years, kolbari has significantly increased among Kurdish women. Many female heads of households in towns and border villages now work as kolbars. The risks for women in this role are even greater than for men. Factors such as institutional gender discrimination in employment and wages, lack of access to certain government and private sector jobs (e.g. judiciary, driving), and the country’s dire economic conditions have driven women to this dangerous occupation.
Research by Hana Human Rights Organization shows that kolbars earn between 70 to 100 million Iranian rials (7–10 million tomans) per month. Considering the poverty line is currently at 200 million rials (20 million tomans), one would expect a democratic state adhering to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to create jobs in border areas and implement customs reforms to eliminate kolbari. However, the Islamic Republic has instead militarized these regions, continues to carry out excessive violence against kolbars, and denies their existence in state media.
According to Hana’s data, in 2024 alone, 41 Kurdish kolbars were killed by direct fire from Iranian border forces, and 216 others were injured. In the first quarter of 2025, 16 kolbars have already been killed or wounded. Many have suffered permanent disabilities as a result of their injuries. The report emphasizes that the crackdown on kolbars has not only continued but intensified.
It is important to note that the names of all kolbars mentioned in this report are officially registered in the Hana Human Rights Organization’s data center.
Iran acceded to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), adopted by the UN General Assembly, on December 16, 1966. According to Article 9 of the Iranian Civil Code, international treaties like the ICCPR are considered domestic law and are legally binding.
Article 6(1) of the ICCPR states: “Every human being has the inherent right to life. This right shall be protected by law. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life.” Therefore, the continued targeting and shooting of kolbars by Iranian border forces also constitutes a violation of Article 14 of the Covenant. In cases of amputation, spinal cord injury, or arbitrary deprivation of life, the Covenant stipulates that “all persons shall be equal before the courts and tribunals,” and everyone has the right to “a fair and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal established by law” to determine both criminal charges and civil disputes—ensuring access to justice for victims’ families.
The Iranian government not only violates victims’ right to legal recourse, but judicial practice shows that no military official has ever been prosecuted for the systematic killing of kolbars.
Kolbari is a form of labor that violates human dignity and contradicts international human rights standards, particularly the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) of 1966.
The Hana Human Rights Organization expresses deep concern over the worsening economic crisis in Iran, which disproportionately affects marginalized regions like Kurdistan due to systemic discrimination. Hana warns of the increasing spread of kolbari and urges the Iranian government to be held accountable for the daily killings of Kurdish kolbars.
The organization also calls for international prosecution of those involved in these killings and advocates for an arms embargo against Iran’s border guard forces due to their systematic violation of the right to life in Kurdistan.