Arrest of Reza Babernajad, Brother of One of the Protest Victims, for the Second Time After Raisi's Death

The brother of one of the protesters killed during the "Women, Life, Freedom" protests has been arrested for the second time following the death of Ebrahim Raisi. Fatemeh Heydari, sister of Javad Heydari, one of the victims of the "Women, Life, Freedom" protests, wrote on social media platform X on Thursday, June 7, that Reza Babernajad, brother of Mehdi Babernajad, another victim of these protests, was re-arrested five days after being temporarily released on bail. According to reports, Mr. Babernajad has been transferred to Quchan prison. Following the death of Ebrahim Raisi and his companions in a helicopter crash on May 19, a wave of arrests of social media users for insulting Raisi was initiated. Reza Babernajad was among those arrested on June 1. His arrest occurred after he published a video of his brother dancing, who was killed at the age of 22 during the protests in Quchan in 2022 by direct gunfire from Islamic Republic forces. In response to Raisi's death, Mr. Babernajad wrote: "The pure blood and the pain and suffering of all the mothers and fathers seeking justice will take its toll. It may take time, but there is no escaping it." Ms. Heydari, who informs about the families seeking justice on social media, posted on X that "Reza's mother was saying during her son's arrest: 'Your president is dead? Were our children not human? Why did you kill them?'" According to human rights organizations, more than five hundred people lost their lives at the hands of the Islamic Republic's security forces during the nationwide "Women, Life, Freedom" protests. The Islamic Republic has not only failed to hold accountable those responsible for this massacre but has also arrested and executed some other protesters on charges of killing its security forces during these protests.