Joint Statement by Human Rights Organizations Condemning the Killing of Yousef Shahlibar and Systematic Violence Against Baloch Children by the Islamic Republic of Iran

On the evening of February 25, 2025, the Special Tactical Unit, a militarized force under the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Law Enforcement Command, opened fire on a vehicle carrying members of a Baloch family in the Chah-Jamal region of Iranshahr without prior warning or the presence of a checkpoint. As a result, a 5-year-old child, Yousef Shahlibar, was fatally wounded by live bullets and later died in the hospital. His mother, Maryam Shahlibar, who was pregnant at the time, sustained severe injuries and lost her unborn child. Some evidence suggests that serious negligence and a lack of immediate medical intervention contributed to Yousef’s death.

According to investigations conducted by multiple human rights organizations, the Special Tactical Unit forces fired heavy gunfire at the family’s vehicle without any prior warning for unknown reasons. After injuring the passengers, the forces transferred them to the hospital but quickly left the premises without assuming any legal responsibility.

Since the public disclosure of this crime, government officials have refused to take responsibility or conduct an independent investigation, instead making baseless and misleading statements about the incident. Notably, security forces violently arrested the driver of the vehicle at Khatam al-Anbiya Hospital in Iranshahr and transferred him to a secret detention facility. Available information suggests that he is under pressure to cooperate with security forces and deny the shooting by the Special Tactical Unit. Furthermore, the victim’s family has been subjected to intense pressure and security measures to prevent them from speaking out or filing complaints.

Such crimes against Baloch children are not unprecedented. According to data collected by Baloch human rights organizations, in recent years, dozens of Baloch children have been killed, injured, or left with severe physical disabilities due to direct shootings by the Islamic Republic’s security and military forces. These reports confirm the existence of widespread and systematic state violence against the people of Balochistan, particularly children under the age of 18.

The right to life is the most fundamental human right, and the international community places special emphasis on protecting children due to their vulnerability. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, which oversees the implementation of the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child, recognizes the right to life, survival, and development as one of the four core principles of the convention. Article 6 of the convention explicitly states: “States Parties recognize that every child has the inherent right to life.” The Islamic Republic of Iran is a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, making its provisions legally binding on all state institutions and officials. Furthermore, the absolute prohibition of child killings is recognized in Islamic legal texts, one of the primary sources of Iran’s legal system.

Despite these legal obligations, due to the Iranian government’s security-driven approach toward Balochistan, Baloch people, including children, continue to face extreme state violence. This systematic and widespread violence is part of the Iranian state’s daily repression of Balochistan’s people. The mass killings of fuel carriers and border traders, the high number of executions of Baloch citizens, and the presence of thousands of imprisoned Baloch political and religious activists are clear examples of this systemic oppression, particularly against children under 18.

In light of these facts and the irrefutable evidence of the direct shooting of 5-year-old Yousef Shahlibar by Special Tactical Unit forces, leading to his subsequent death, we, the undersigned organizations, call for urgent and effective international action regarding this crime.

Since no independent human rights body exists within the Islamic Republic of Iran to investigate human rights violations, we demand an independent investigation by a joint committee consisting of the UN Human Rights Council’s Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders).

We also call for:
• The inclusion of Iran’s Special Tactical Units in international human rights sanctions lists,
• The international prosecution of the commanders of these units operating in Balochistan, and
• A ban on the sale of any weapons to these military forces due to their blatant violations of the right to life, especially against Baloch children.

March 1, 2025

Signatory Organizations:

1. Hana Human Rights Organization
2. Rasank
3. Baloch Activists Campaign
4. Shivar
5. Balochistan Human Rights Organization
6. All Human Rights for All in Iran
7. Ahwaz Human Rights Organization
8. 6Rang (Iranian Lesbian and Transgender Network – Organization Fighting Discrimination and Criminalization of the LGBT+ Community)
9. Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran
10. Iran Human Rights Organization
11. Kurdistan Human Rights Network
12. Kurdistan Human Rights Association (Geneva)
13. Defenders of Human Rights Center (Shirin Ebadi)
14. Iran Human Rights Documentation Center
15. Kurdpa
16. Woman, Life, Freedom London
17. Azadi Network