Amnesty International: Years of Interrogation and Torture Tormented Kianoush Sanjari's Soul

In response to the suicide of Kianoush Sanjari, a journalist and political activist, Amnesty International stated, "We mourn the loss of Kianoush Sanjari in Iran; someone whose passion for human rights continues to shine." In a statement released on Thursday, November 24, Amnesty International wrote: "Years of interrogation, unjust detention, torture, and exile tormented him while his oppressors remained unpunished. His death is a shared sorrow and makes us more determined in our demands for justice." Kianoush Sanjari, who had lived in the United States for years and was a collaborator with the Persian section of the Voice of America, had returned to Iran in recent years. He ended his life on November 23 in protest against the continued detention of numerous political activists in Iran. Early Wednesday morning, he wrote on his social media account on X: "If by 7 PM today, Fatemeh Sepahri, Nasrin Shakeri, Tomaj Salehi, and Arasham Razai are not released from prison and news of their release is not published on the Judiciary's news site, I will end my life in protest against Khamenei's dictatorship and his partners." Mr. Sanjari published one or two other messages on the same social media platform shortly after 7 PM, and then the news of his death was confirmed by a relative in an interview with Radio Farda. Several civil and political activists also shared this news. Mohammad Shahriari, head of the Tehran Criminal Court, announced details of Kianoush Sanjari's death on Thursday, stating that he had thrown himself from the top of a building. According to this criminal official, a female psychotherapist was present with him at the scene but stated during interrogations that she had left him because she was sure he had changed his mind about suicide. The head of the Tehran Criminal Court mentioned that the footage from the building's surveillance cameras is being reviewed and a legal case has been opened to interrogate witnesses. The news of Kianoush Sanjari's suicide was met with a wave of reactions from civil and political activists. Some reacted by questioning why no one prevented Kianoush Sanjari's action and helped him escape death. Some political activists, including Aliyeh Matlabi, a journalist and women's rights activist, and Hossein Ronaghi, a political activist, also confirmed the presence of a "psychotherapist" with Kianoush Sanjari. Ms. Matlabi wrote on X: "Kianoush Sanjari was not alone, but he was determined, and until the last moment, one of his psychologist friends and advisors was with him." Mr. Ronaghi, in a lengthy post on X, responded to some questions raised on social media, stating that as far as he knows, this person was a psychotherapist and "since Kianoush returned to Iran, he had been under the care of this psychologist and trusted her." A few hours after Kianoush Sanjari's suicide, he wrote on X: "No one but the Islamic Republic is responsible for Kianoush's death." Kianoush Sanjari's funeral is scheduled to be held on November 25 at Behesht Zahra in Tehran. If you are thinking about suicide, contact the social emergency service at 123 or counseling centers.