Source: Aftab Yazd

Introduction: Expressing a great regret for the recent events in Lorestan's county during which one of the brave children of the country was killed, a great deal of blasphemy was alleged against the religious beliefs, a high representative of the government in Lorestan was wounded and a large number of brave men of police forces and people of Khorram Abad were hit, injured and shot due to the ongoing unrest.

Therefore, under the supervision of the director general of the security affairs of Ministry of State a committee was appointed by the order of the country's Security Council and with the membership of the honorable representatives of Sepah Pasdaran, Police Forces, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Information, Ministry of Sciences, Research and Technology, Basij's Resistance Forces and Ministry of State. On traveling to Lorestan and continuing their investigation and survey in Tehran from August 31st to September 13^th and spending more than 120 hours of collective work, negotiation with all the relevant local authorities, visiting the local sites of events and studying the different documents and evidences, the delegation will now announce the results of its work as follows.

There is no doubt that reviewing all the documents and the act of clearing out some of the existing obscurities demands more time and more thorough investigation by the corresponding eligible authorities.

It should be mentioned that all the honorable local authorities, both from the state and the army cooperated with the delegation except the director general of Lorestan Radio and Television that subjected any cooperation and even any meeting with the delegation to the issuing of the order form its sovereign office.

Results

The results obtained from the investigations of the delegation of the country's Security Council on which all members agree are:

1- The Seventh Annual Camping of the students' organization, Tahkim Vahdat, started its task in the city of Khorram Abad according to the usual proceedings and legal criteria. The organization had demanded security and other facilities from the provincial office of Lorestan through an official letter (23161) written on August 2^nd 2000.

1- Although this camping if held in any other province or town would have been faced with some tensions, but regarding the peculiarities of Lorestan and the city of Khorram Abad (…) choosing the above province and town for holding the annual camping of this students' organization was a great mistake. (The possibility of the presence of some political motivations for such a choice can not be ruled out). Although no inquiry was made by this students' organization regarding the readiness of the necessary political and security conditions of holding the camping in the city of Khorram Abad, but no office or institute had not banned their proceeding.

3- The provincial office of Lorestan was informed on the matter by Tahkim Vahdat. The subject was announced in the meeting of the authorities of the local security council, but further discussion was postponed to a later date. The promised meeting was delayed so much that it was no longer conceivable to announce the impossibility of holding the camping of the students in Lorestan. It seems that the assistant director of the political security of the provincial office had tried to keep the camping in this province.

4- There were no definite information on the probable protests and reactions against this event until August 22^nd. However, due to the possibility of such reactions, the provincial security council had anticipated suitable measures while admonitions to the authorities of the camping and lecturers could be among the suitable decisions of this council that escaped attention.

5- Despite the necessity of respecting the status and lofty position of the representatives of Velayat Faghih (the highest governing body in the country) in the provinces, unfortunately due to some reasons, including the fact that they were not informed about the proceedings and decisions, the kind of existing outlooks on the matter… thus their lofty status has been disrespected in some of the unrests and agitations. The main reason for this situation is the absence of definite definition on the way that the local or central authorities should interact with these honorable representatives and there are a number of obscurities regarding the limits of their duties in executive affairs. That is why the measures that executive authorities take without informing them, often lead to their dissatisfaction and complain, the event of Khorram Abad being a vivid evidence for this.

6- A number of official members and employers of Sepah Pasdaran and also a number of Basijis have played an active role as protestor.

7- (…)The authority responsible for the office of Velayat Faghih in Lorestan's Sepah has played an active role in instigating and provoking people and members of Sepah and Basij in preventing the opening of the camping and the recent events of Lorestan.

8- There are documents and evidences including people's reports and official documents that show the pre-planned activity of the members of Sepah and Basij in opposing the opening of the camping that needs to be further investigated by the juridical authorities. It is necessary to appoint a juridical committee for this purpose.

9- (…)The honorable authority of the representative office of Velayat Faghih in Basij had been invited by the representative office of Vali Faghih at Lorestan's Sepah (during the days of the camping) to the city of Khorram Abad where he spent 24 hours giving speeches several times including at the gathering of the Basij's force in which he had talked about the camping of Tahkim Vahdat.

Also during the same period (…) the commander of Sepah's office of protection of information of Ghom's region, colonel (…) from Sepah's central office of protection of information, colonel (…) one of the authorities of the police force's office of protection of information, colonel (…) the commander of the office of protection of information of Markazi province were in Khorram Abad. It is necessary for the juridical committee mentioned above to investigate the nature of their mission and their probable interference in the events of Lorestan.

10- Not paying attention to people's sensitivities and religious beliefs in their speeches and the position of certain authorities and institutions on the matter have been the origin of the tensions and unrest. The possibility of the occurrence of similar incidences in smaller or larger scales can not be ruled out if no attention is paid to the above fact.

There has been no direct connection between the content of speeches held in the camp of Tahkim Vahdat with the recent events.

11- The events of the airport on August 26^th (the entrance of the protestors into the protected area of the airport, preventing Souroosh and Kadivar leaving the airport, breaking the glasses of four of the windows of the airport's hall, damaging the car of the assistant director of the political security office, attacking him physically and damaging his wheelchair and also the car that was to take him out of the airport and (...) are not questionable. The airport's Sepah and the police forces have failed both in preventing the occurrence of the above events, identification of the offenders and confrontation with them (each in connection with their duties).

Consideration 1- (…) of official members of Sepah have so far been identified among the violators that made up a group of 50-60 people at the beginning and increasing up to 450-500 at most. (their names and identities are available.)

Consideration 2- The presence of some faces among the protestors in the airport, made it difficult for the authorities of the airport to deal with the violators using force.

Consideration 2- Regarding the fact that Shahrokhi and Bahrvand travelling constantly between Tehran and Khorram Abad always used the same pavilion of the airport, the presence of the protestors (from the beginning) in front of the public hall and other evidences and signs show that the protestors were gathered there to confront Souroosh and Kadivar and another group of people were gathered there to welcome the aforementioned representatives.

Consideration 4- The presence of the authorities of the Province (the governor, the political assistant of the ministry of state and the assistant general of the political security office of the province) in the airport and the use of the term fascists for the violators by the political assistant of the ministry of state and also the announcement of the intention to confront the protestors by the assistant general of the political security office and the conveyance of the news (by a few people present in the pavilion) to the protestors, instigated the mob, intensified the acts of protest and changed the direction of the slogans and acts of protest toward the authorities present. It should be mentioned that the above news were communicated only among a few people present in the pavilion.

Consideration 5- The general office of information sends a few officials to the airport to identify the people responsible once the events start.

Consideration 6- In performing the decisions of the provincial security council, the police force takes suitable measures in protecting the life of Souroosh and Kadivar and taking them out of the airport after a few hours.

Consideration 7- There were no suitable measures taken in appeasing the protesting mob present in the airport not until the meeting of the security council.

12- Despite the fact that the subject of the seventh annual camping of Tahkim Vahdat was "the future of reformation in Iran", putting up a banner with the content "In recognition of the reformists in prison" over the entrance of the university (the place of gathering) was not only a proper measure, but it provoked the protestors even further. The banner was finally brought down and burnt.

13- The recent events of Lorestan is the product of extreme actions of different political factions of the country, a grave problem that the country is now suffering from. In Lorestan's events, the outside enemies have played no direct role, but a number of different layers of the society including the members of Sepah and Basij and in general under the banner of defending the system, have protested against the camping of Tahkim Vahdat in illegal ways.

14- All the meetings and protests held during the events (from Thursday 24/8/2000- Monday 28/8/2000) were illegal and without permission. There were four meetings and protestations in the town of Khorram Abad against the annual camping of Tahkim Vahdat around the axis of the authorities and responsible bodies of the Mosque Alavi of Khorram Abad (two of which took place from the house of Emam Jomeh of Khorram Abad, one from the praying place of the public prayers of Jomeh (Friday) and one from Alavi's Mosque). There were also one meeting and protest by the opposite group (in other words, the followers of Khordad's Front and those who were in favour of the annual camping) held in the afternoon of Saturday 26^th of August around the axis of the authorities and responsible bodies of the Mosque Shohada. The meeting took place in Shohada Square.

Consideration 1- The illegal meeting and protest of the protesters held on Friday afternoon was the first meeting and protestation of the recent events of Lorestan and the gathering and protestation of Saturday afternoon (26/8/2000) after the decisions made by the authorities (regarding definite prohibition of any meeting and protest) are considered as critical points of the recent events.

Consideration 2- In addition to the meetings and protests (five in number), smaller meetings and protests were held not only by those for and against the camping, but by a third group that are not dealt with in this investigation due to their lesser importance.

Consideration 3- Speech of Moosavi Nejad (Khorram Abad's MP) Shahrokhi (Poldokhtar's MP), Mohamadi (the responsible body of the representative office of Vali Faghih in Khorram Abad's Sepah) Imani (the candidate for the sixth election of the parliament), Hojatoleslam Saedpour (the ex-responsible body of the office of Islamic advancement), Moosavi (the cultural assistant of the governor), Issa Moosavi (Talabeh=student of theology), at the aforementioned illegal meetings is a questionable legal case and regarding the content of their speeches, should be investigated further from the juridical point of view. It should be emphasized that Hojatoleslam Shahrokhi conducted his speech on the request of Vali Faghih's representative in Lorestan and Khorram Abad's Emam Jomeh (the high priest responsible for Friday's public pray) and on behalf of the commander of police forces, General Ghalibaf in one of the meetings.

Consideration 4- The speech of Rezaii, the political security assistant in the meeting of Saturday afternoon that took place only for a few minutes and in regards to his responsibility and the content of his speech, is not considered speech (expressing gratitude to the people gathered and hoping that if the purpose of meeting is supposed to be support or protest, it is better to act legally.)

Consideration 5- The protestors' slogans (i.e. those protesting against Tahkim Vahdat) uttered during meetings were (…)

Consideration 6- The slogans of the supporters (of Tahkim Vahdat) uttered in reaction to the above protesters were (…)

Consideration 7 - On Saturday afternoon (26/8/2000) when the crowd dispersed, some of them continued to protest, the above slogans were uttered then. According to the report of the general office of Information of Lorestan, a limited number of students joined the protestors. In any case, with the intervention of the police forces, a struggle ensued between the crowd and the police.

Consideration 8- The office of Participation Front (Jebheh Mosharekat) of Lorestan, asks permission from Lorestan governor's office for holding a meeting on Saturday afternoon, but their request is turned down. This is while the printed announcement of the meeting (an example of which is enclosed) had been distributed and had produced its effects. The head of the aforementioned office announced that there were no invitation on behalf of this office for holding a meeting and the name of the streets specified as the places of protest were different from those specified in their request letter for permission to the governor's office…(a copy of this letter is enclosed).

Consideration 9 - When the responsible bodies of the police force question the political security assistant (through a telephone call) about the nature of their reaction to Saturday's meeting, he answer "do your best not to allow the meeting to take place, if it did take place don't react, just invite and guide them to disperse."

Consideration 10- In all of the meetings and protestations, the police force has done its best to prevent the meeting to take place, but despite all these attempts the protestations continued illegally.

Consideration 11- In sum (…) were arrested by the police force (the age and profession of the arrested people is specified in the enclosed table), the case of all the arrested people have been delivered to the responsible legal authority as ordered by law.

Consideration 12- 58 policemen were injured in the recent events of Lorestan, 54 of them in the evening of Saturday 26/8/2000 and four of them were wounded by the direct shots of Klashinkov on the same night (in the vicinity of the city's Bazar), one of whom died later.

Consideration 13- Five member of the secret service (=lebas shakhsi, meaning in civil clothes) and two Basijis were shot and wounded during Sunday's unrest (again in the vicinity of Bazar).

Consideration 14- From the early hours of Monday 28/8/2000 until now (…) other people have been identified and arrested by the police (the total number of the arrested people is now…).

Consideration 15- Despite what happened at the airport on Thursday 24/8/2000, the gathering of Tahkim Vahdat followed their planned program from Friday morning until the afternoon of the same day.

Consideration 16- The Governor of Lorestan as the head of security council of the province was angry and discontent during the session held on Friday evening because of the nature of the reaction of the police forces and other events (illegal gathering and protestation of the same afternoon) in general.

Consideration 17- The purpose of gathering and protestation of Saturday afternoon 26/8/2000 was a reaction to the airport's incidence and the continued meetings of the protestors against Tahkim Vahdat on Friday evening and Saturday morning. In other words, the purpose of this protest was to "emphasis on the continuation of the proceeding of the annual camping of Tahkim Vahdat.

15- the following matters:

• 1/8/2000 the receipt of Tahkim Vahdat's letter to the governor - 3/8/2000 the governors note under the above letter addressed to the political security assistance for negotiation
• the governor announces to the political security assistant that they should do their best not to let the camping to take place in Lorestan
• 6/8/2000 discussing the subject of the annual camping of Tahkim Vahdat in Lorestan (without mentioning the time) in the session of the security council and the necessity of further examination of the matter by the office of security in Khorram Abad
• 9/8/2000 the board of supervisors of the university agreed with the annual camping being held in Khorram Abad
• 9/8/2000 (evening) the formation of the student committee of the town's security council
• 10/8/2000 deliverance of the letter of the political security assistant of the province to the general office of the country's Ministry of State
• 19/8/2000 the gathering of the student committee of the town's security council without the presence of the representative of the Ministry of Information (the representative of the police force in the board announces that the representative of the provincial police force has opposed the holding of the annual camping)
• 20/8/2000 the gathering of the security council of the province and the objection of some of the members to the camping being held in Khorram Abad. This shows that the subject of this camping had not been dealt with seriously enough in the relevant sessions and according to the existing information there has been a delay in making the right proper decisions
• 16- There are no clear evidence that would show that there had been any pre-planning for injuring the governor during the funeral procession of the only martyr of Khorram Abad's unrest (Tuesday 29/8/2000). This improper act and the bitter incidence of the same day had been planned and harmonized on the scene of the same day. In any case, some of the attackers (see the film enclosed) have been identified by the general office of Information and it is necessary to investigate whether there had been any pre-planning for it or not.

Consideration 1- According to the arrangements, Shahrokhi the assistant of the governor was supposed to participate in the funeral procession and Bahrvand, Khorram Abad's governor was supposed to see whether his participation would be O.K or not and once it is announced that there is no problem he joins the procession.

Consideration 2- Regarding the extreme nature of the slogans against the governor during the funeral procession, it was necessary to take away the governor immediately from the scene, even though the same slogans were uttered during the illegal meetings and protestations of the past days.

Consideration 3- Despite the fact that a considerable number of the authorities and members of the police forces were among the crowd, no proper measures were taken for their protection and prevention of the occurrence of this bitter incidence.

Consideration 4- Considering the events of the past days, the extreme nature of the slogans, the possibility of the occurrence of a tragic incidence was quite foreseeable, but despite the presence of a provincial security plan in regards to necessary protective measures, there were no effective confrontation with those protesting against the governor and other authorities (both during the procession and at the end of it).

Consideration 5- The governor's guards have failed in protecting the governor. They should have recognized the anti-governor's air of the procession and had taken him out of the scene before the ensuing of the attack otherwise they should have immediately appealed to Sepah for intensification of the protective measures.

Consideration 6- Due to the fact that the governor's participation in the funeral procession had not been announced, no necessary protective measures were anticipated for this purpose. If Sepah were informed about his participation, it was possible to take the necessary measures for his protection.

Consideration 7- The forces of the police and Sepah present on the scene more tried to protect and save the governor's life and take him out of the scene after the attack.

Consideration 8- Some of the people attacking the governor are official employers of the government.

17- Due to different reasons explained fully in the report, there were no critical measures taken in managing the recent Khorram Abad's unrest effectively. Unfortunately, the responsible bodies in ensuring security could not play an effective role due to the unfavourable level of preventive measures despite their extensive efforts.

18- On Sunday afternoon (27/8/2000) despite the fact that all of the students had left the city, therefore any protest would seem meaningless, again a group of protestors gather in Hosseineih (Mosque) of Habib and … (the responsible authority of the representative office of Vali Faghih in Lorestan) gives a speech and they plan to hold the evening prayer outside Hosseineih. An hour later another group of about 100 people gathers in the Square of Shohada, and subsequently another group settle in another corner of the town and gradually the gangs of hooligans become active. The gathering and protestation of this third group extend to the area in vicinity of the town's Bazar and due to the damage to an electricity station and subsequent turning off the lights, there occurs some shootings and a number of civilians, members of the police force and two Basijis get wounded and an army man, officer Ardeshir Karami is killed.

Simultaneously in another area of the town, a number of the members of Ashoura's Battalion belonging to Basij's forces come out of their garrison and start shooting in the air.

Consideration 1- On Sunday, Monafeghins (the famous opposition group) get activated on Khorm Abad's case and through telephone contacts, encourage and provoke the protest.

Consideration 2- Some of the protestors including three people present on the roof of the police station (13) in the vicinity of Bazar get arrested.

Consideration 3- Although the above area near Bazar extends to a mountain range, but shootings took place from the roof of the houses and other high places (other than mountains). Even though the slope of the aforementioned area is in such a way that does not exclude the possibility for the shootings to have taken place from lower places.

Consideration 4- The people directly responsible for the shooting have not yet been identified for sure, but the police forces have arrested….suspected subjects one of whom have been seen armed on the night of the incidence. He is at the moment hiding away, but …. people are under the care of the police forces.

19-Some of the people responsible for injuring the students in Alashatar on Friday afternoon 25/8/2000 have been identified by the Information office of Nourabad and Alashatar. The names of these people are available. Investigations carried out by the juridical bodies will reveal whether the attack on the students and damaging their cars had been pre-planned or not.

Consideration 1- Among the people arrested so far the name of some of the official employers of the government is found.

Consideration 2- Emam Jomeh (main priest) of Alashtar, like those of other towns of the Province criticized the annual camping of Tahkim Vahdat seriously.

Consideration 3- On Friday noon, the students decide to rent a minibus to visit interesting places of Alashtar. They reach Alashtar at about 5 o'clock and immediately after getting out of the bus in the street of Kashani, a rather unpopulated place, they are attacked and their bus is damaged and the driver, an ordinary person from Khorram Abad is injured. The distance from Khorram Abad to Alashtar is 40 km.

Consideration 4- The students (17 men and women) and the people responsible for the camping had not informed the local security or police bodies about their trip to Alashtar.

Consideration 5- The governor's office of Alashtar and the police forces of this town knew nothing about this trip until the above incidence.

20- The incidence of throwing stones at the students' bus (with its 22 students on board) in Balad-dokhtar had been pre-planned. There are evidences on this matter including the reports of the students and the local authorities, but this needs further investigation by juridical bodies. Meanwhile the following considerations should be kept in mind:

Consideration 1- The students' bus was escorted by Sepah and other police forces from a few kilometers before Poldokhtar and up to a few kilometers after this area. Here due to the exit of 6 women students from the bus, the escort of the police forces stay with them by the order of their commander, to wait for the arrival of a car that would take the aforementioned female students. The commander of Sepah too, orders the corresponding escort to go back to their station. In fact, the students' bus was devoid of escort for a few kilometers and it is exactly here that it is attacked and four of the students are injured by the stones thrown at the bus. It seems that cars were following the students' bus, and when the escorts go to their own way and the bus is left to itself, they use the opportunity to attack the bus.

Consideration 2- The students have reported the full description of five cars attacking them. Due to some discrepancies, further investigation is necessary.

Consideration 3-Despite the fact that the provincial security council had not issued any orders to the local Sepah of Poldokhtar to escort the students' bus, some of the people of the local Basij, appeared on the scene armed. Also, the students' bus was escorted to Poldokhtar & then to Dareh shahr (after Poldokhtar) by Sepah's forces.

Consideration 4-The Sepah's commander of Poldokhtar present in Khorram Abad on the day of the unrest, issues the order of the return of Sepah's escort as soon as he enters the town which is approximately at the same time that the students' bus enters the town.

Consideration 5- The commander of the police forces of Poldokhtar had been responsible for the lack of escort from Dareh Shahr to the town and had not acted wisely.

21- The attack on the students in the Square of Broojerdi in the town of Broojerd, has taken place pre-planned. Four of the attackers to the students' bus have been identified by the Information office of Broojerd and it is necessary to extend legal investigations on the case in order to identify other people responsible for the attack.

Consideration 1- On Friday morning 25/8/2000 there is a call to the governor of Broojerd informing him that it has been heard that the students are planning to come to Broojerd and if they do, they will be confronted.

Consideration 2- On Friday afternoon, and during the public prayer of that day, a hand written announcement is read with the following content:

The governor declares that the above announcement has been written by…. one of the members of Sepah office of propaganda in Broojerd (enclosed is a copy of the hand written declaration).

The representatives of Sepah and Basij in the committee sent to the area have claimed that the hand writing does not belong to the above person. In any case, although the declaration was read in presence of…. and he did not protest against it, further investigation is necessary by the juridical bodies in order to certify whether the hand writing belongs to the claimed person and also it should be investigated how the above declaration had been prepared.

Consideration 3- By the order of ….the deputy of Sepah's commander in Broojerd, members of Sepah and Basij (10 in number) go to the place of unrest (their names are available)

Consideration 4- The above group (10 in number) were the first group of police forces arriving at the scene.

Consideration 5- According to the deputy of Sepah's commander, he was informed at 16:30 that a group of people gathering in the Square of Broojerdi intends to confront the students.

Consideration 6- The security council of the town and the governor had not given any order to Sepah for this purpose.

Consideration 7- At the same time 9 vehicles pass through the Square, 3 of which were the buses carrying the students and two of the buses reaching the Square first are attacked and some people are injured and the buses damaged.

Consideration 8- The news of the fight at the Square of Broojerdi is delivered from the police forces of Khorram Abad to that of Broojerd that is quite pausible.

Consideration 9- According to the deputy of Sepah's commander, on reaching the site, he sees a number of the protestors talking in the dialect of Khorram Abad, they then fleed from the site by a car (Mazda).

Consideration 10- Seven of the injured people (all students) were identified by the governor's office and the police forces and were transported to the city to be treated.

22-It seems that the original acceptance of the demands of the protestors had led to new demands and the continuation of the unrest.

23- During the investigations it was revealed that a vehicle was made available to Khorram Abad's university by the Lorestan governor's office and also the permission to use the lodge of the governor's office (by the guests and the lecturers) was issued.

Consideration 1- The political security assistant of Lorestan governor's office in a letter to the political general director of Ministry of State (10/8/2000), announces that the expenses for the annual camping amounts to 16million toumans and adds: Khorram Abad's university and the university of medical sciences would pay 3 millions of this sum.

The previous source of this sum is not known, in case necessary it should be further investigated. It should be added that the Students' cultural deputy of Lorestan university in a letter to the political security assistant of the governor's office (12/8/2000) announces that the whole complex of the university has done its best and the necessary preparations have been carried out.

24- Although the general director of the local radio and television was invited like other local general directors to meet with the committee and even the committee announced its own readiness to meet his deputy instead, unfortunately they postponed any cooperation with the committee to the order of their authorities in the central office and thus the committee did not succeed in meeting them.

The committee intended to ask for a copy of all the locally broadcasted news and programs about the events, to study the role and effects of these programs in the spread of the unrest, but unfortunately no meeting took place. Therefore, in an official letter to the secretariat of the higher security council, the committee has asked for the above documents.

25- The detailed list of financial damages during Lorestan's events have been included in the report.

26- On 21/8/2000 the provincial director general of the office of Information describes (in a letter) the activities of the protesting groups to the governor and at the end suggests to hold a session on the matter.

On the same basis the governor's office of Lorestan sends an official invitation (21/8/2000) to the chief commander of Sepah and some other responsible bodies of Sepah to discuss and exchange ideas on certain necessary matters. This official invitation was taken to the house of the chief commander of Sepah by the head of the governor's office, but the latter does not attend the meeting.

Consideration 1- Only the representative of Vali Faghih in the brigade 57 attends the meeting.

Consideration 2-The previous atmosphere created during the last meeting on 20/8/2000 played a role in the last episode (non-attendance of those invited). In addition the chief commander of Sepah had announced that because of the presence of a special guest, he could not attend the meeting.

27- In case of inactivity and neutrality of the security and information bodies and police forces and non-cooperation of ordinary people, there is no doubt that the unrest in Khorram Abad and Lorestan could become much more extensive (including the possible threats to the life of the guests, the entrance of the protestors to the place of the students' gathering and camping…) therefore it is necessary to appreciate the conscious presence of the brave people of Lorestan in preventing the spread of the unrest and to thank all the personnel of the security and information bodies and the police forces.

28- Suitable measures taken by the responsible bodies of the police forces including disuse of arms during the recent events, anticipation of necessary number of police forces have definitely played a major role in preventing the spread of the unrest

29- The committee has received many reports during its stay in Khorram Abad and it is necessary to record these reports and make them available to the judge so that through the accurate and exact juridical investigations, those guilty of violence would be properly treated.