DW Dari (Translated by RAWA), September 9, 2016

By Reza Sher Mohammadi

The police of Sheraz city, Iran, put a number of Afghan refugees on public display inside steel cages as part of the police’s achievements. This action drew strong reactions from everywhere. Afghan parliamentarians protested the action calling it against human rights, human dignity, and international law.

The police of Sheraz put an exhibition of the findings and achievements of its stations on Tuesday. Among alcoholic drinks, drugs, and other criminal cases, Afghan refugees were also displayed inside cages.

The photos quickly spread through social networking websites and drew strong reactions from people around the world, especially Afghans and Iranians.

The Iranian police told its media that 277 illegal immigrants had been arrested by the police which they saw as an achievement.

But even Iranian users on social networking websites called this action wrong. Sina, an Iranian user wrote, “They are stampeding humanity, just like African-Americans were placed inside cages 200 years ago.”

Shohab, another Iranian wrote, “It is a catastrophe when you see this news on websites and read the views of commentators and discover that half of the nation supports this action, this filthy racism is completely normal for them.”

Many Iranian users condemned this action and apologized to their Afghan friends. Afghan users took the view that people and governments are separate. Behnush wrote, “The dignity of every nation is in the hands of its rulers. When the fate of our countrymen inside and outside have no importance for the leaders of our country, then we cannot complain about other countries.” He continued, “People will behave with us how we allow them to.”

Reza another Afghan who was an Iranian refugee once and is currently in Germany wrote, “Iran shares our language and religion. But non-Islamic countries treat aliens with respect. Here, humanity is what matters, nothing else.”

…

This is not the first time such actions have been taken against Afghan refugees by the Iranian government. Some time back, an Afghan girl lost her life due to the transplant laws of the country.