The Centre for Supporters of Human Rights (CSHR) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a statement on Tuesday urging the Iranian president to halt the use of excessive force against Kurdish border couriers.

HRW states that incoming President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the practice of border couriering throughout his campaign, signalling a potential shift in the government’s approach to border crossings. The practice of border couriering, known as “Kulbari,” has continued in several regions despite the dangers associated with it, as individuals, particularly Kurdish minorities, are forced to partake in the practice due to the limited economic opportunities available.

Legislative changes were proposed in 2023 to limit Kulbari, including the removal of certain limitations on authorities’ use of force against couriers. However, HRW interviewees recalled being targeted by authorities during times when they were not possessing any goods or undertaking illegal activity, implying that the previous legislation was already ineffective in curbing Iranian authorities’ use of force. Despite many of the activities pursued by couriers being lawful, HRW finds the government has previously stated that the border crossings pose a security threat to the state.

The statement comes less than two weeks after HRW reported that several individuals were shot and killed while transporting goods across the Iran-Iraq border. This was not the first instance of Iranian authorities being accused of using excessive and lethal force against the border couriers, as HRW noted that reports display at least 44 individuals have been killed and 463 injured between March 2023 and March 2024.

Kurdish communities commonly reside in border regions throughout Iran and have been subjected to human rights abuses within the state for many years, with a 2008 Amnesty International report detailing numerous instances of unlawful killings by security forces of Kurdish individuals both within and outside Iran’s borders. HRW urges the the state to ensure authorities’ actions are in accordance with the United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials as well as join the Mine Ban Treaty to prevent injury to civilians from undetonated land mines planted near Iran’s borders during the Iran-Iraq war.

President Pezeshkian takes office in late July and is the first reformist president of the state since 2005. He replaces Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a helicopter crash in May.