While the 2015 Iranian Code of Criminal Procedure (Articles 28 to 44) and the Law on the Protection of Legitimate Freedoms and Civil Rights regulate the powers and duties of law enforcement, they fail to provide details of conduct during arrests, notably with regards to the use of lethal force only when strictly unavoidable to protect life. There is no independent and impartial mechanism in the Islamic Republic of Iran ensuring that regulations relating to the conduct of law enforcement are effectively implemented. Additionally, there is no official and readily available information that might suggest that existing regulations are effectively implemented. In November 2019, authorities violently repressed protests across the country.3 4 Reportedly, the death toll ranges from verified reports of 304,5 to unconfirmed reports of up to 1500 deaths,6 and the number of those injured by security forces is estimated at several thousand.7 NGOs documented cases where protestors were shot dead by Iranian security forces though they didn’t pose a direct threat to life, suggesting that Iranian security forces were “shooting to kill” contrary to the Basic Principles. 8 9 These findings were echoed in the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran in July 2020.10 As of February 2021, there is no readily available information that might indicate that the Islamic Republic of Iran has engaged in investigations consistent with international standards into the reported incidents that occurred during the 2019 November protests.11 3 Iran: Protests met with violent crackdown and online censorship,” ARTICLE19, 19 November 2020. https://www.article19.org/resources/iran-protests-met-with-violent-crackdown-and-online-censorship/ 4 “Iran: Details released of 304 deaths during protests six months after security forces’ killing spree,” Amnesty International. 20 May 2020. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/05/iran-details-released-of-304-deaths-during-protests-six-months-after-securityforceskilling-spree/ 5 Iran: Details released of 304 deaths during protests six months after security forces’ killing spree,” Amnesty International. 20 May 2020. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/05/iran-details-released-of-304-deaths-during-protests-six-months-after-securityforceskilling-spree/ 6 “Special Report: Iran’s leader ordered crackdown on unrest - 'Do whatever it takes to end it',” Reuters. 23 December 2019. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-protests-specialreport/special-report-irans-leader-ordered-crackdown-on-unrest-dowhatever-ittakes-to-end-it-idUSKBN1YR0QR 7 Amnesty International, Iran: Details released of 304 deaths during protests six months after security forces’ killing spree,” https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/05/iran-details-released-of-304-deaths-during-protests-six-months-after-securityforceskilling-spree/ 8 Amnesty International, Iran: Details released of 304 deaths during protests six months after security forces’ killing spree,” https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/05/iran-details-released-of-304-deaths-during-protests-six-months-after-securityforceskilling-spree/ 9 See also: Justice for Iran, “Shoot to kill: preliminary findings of justice for Iran’s investigation into the November 2019 protests – submission to the Council of the European Union”, https://justice4iran.org/15229/ 10 Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, July 2020, https://undocs.org/Home/Mobile?FinalSymbol=A%2F75%2F213&Language=E&DeviceType=Desktop 11 Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, July 2020, https://undocs.org/Home/Mobile?FinalSymbol=A%2F75%2F213&Language=E&DeviceType=Desktop 2

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