Mohammad Esmaeil Kowsari

Kowsari, as deputy commander of the Sar-Allah HQ, the IRGC headquarters in charge of the security of  the capital and the key entity involved in suppressing any protest in Tehran province is directly responsible for the mass arrest of protesters and ordering the use of deadly weapons against unarmed protesters during the November 2019 nationwide protests in Teاran province, which resulted in the death of at least 130 protesters. The nationwide  protests of 2019, known as the protests of November 2019, were a series of large-scale popular demonstrations against the Iranian government, which began on 15 November, 2019 in protest of the tripling of gasoline prices and quickly turned into anti-government protests that spread to 29 provinces in more than 100 cities across the country. According to Reuters at least 1500 were killed during the protests. Amnesty International, verified the identity of 304 protesters killed by the security forces.

Shoot to Kill; Preliminary Findings of Justice for Iran’s Investigation into the November 2019 Protests, Justice for Iran, February 2020

“Special Report: Iran’s leader ordered crackdown on unrest - 'Do whatever it takes to end it', Reuters, 23 December 2019 

 "Iran: Details released of 304 deaths during protests six months after security forces' killing spree", Amnesty International, 20 May 2020

 Video of security forces shooting at protesters in Tehran

 Video of a protester shot by the security forces in Tehran

 Video of a protester shot by the security forces in Tehran

Video of a protester shot by the security forces in Tehran

Since the beginning of the 2022 nationwide protests in Iran, Esmaeil Kosari, a member of the National Security Commission of the Iranian parliament, has called repeatedly for decisive action by the judiciary and repressive forces to quell the protesters.

In an interview with Hamshahri newspaper on 8 October 2022, he claimed that the state security forces have exercised “utmost restraint” in the face of protesters and demanded for “a strong response from security, law enforcement and judicial agencies against rioters.”

Threatening IR’s security officials and warning them against showing any leniency to protesters, Kosari stated in this interview: “in case of failing to fulfill their duties properly, the security officials should be accountable to their commanders and the people attacked by the rioters.”

Less than a month later, in an interview with Fars news agency, Esmaeil Kosari called the protesters “seditious,” and urged the judiciary to deal with them: “The judiciary should deal with the main instigators and perpetrators of the recent sedition, prosecute the offenders and carry out their punishments. The law should be fully and strictly enforced against the criminals involved in the recent riots.”

The 2022 nationwide protests in Iran broke out following the murder of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the Islamic Republic’s Morality Police on 13 September and have continued in various forms in different cities for more than three months. According to the reports by human rights organizations, at least 469 citizens, including 63 children and 32 women, have been killed by the law enforcement and security forces of the Islamic Republic.

“Elites are unaware of the riots behind the scenes/If the security officials do not fulfill their duties; they should be accountable to their commanders and the people”, Kahbar Online, 08 October 2022

“Kowari’s analysis of riots and how the judiciary deals with rioters”, Nameh News, 06 November 2022