Exclusive; Six Gunshots Fired at Environmental Activist's Brother Who Planted a Tree on Nika Shakeri's Grave

A source informed Voice of America that after judicial authorities in Lorestan arrested an environmental activist for "planting a tree on Nika Shakeri's grave," unidentified individuals targeted his brother with six gunshots in front of the central prison in Khorramabad. The arrest of Ahmad Alikhani, an environmental activist, and the shooting of his brother with a Kalashnikov occurred while Nasrin Shakeri had announced the cancellation of the memorial ceremony for her deceased child, Nika, due to "problems that arose" and to prevent "harm to compatriots". The informed source told Voice of America that the armed attack on this citizen occurred while he was inquiring about his brother's detention status at the central prison in Khorramabad. The source identified this citizen as "Amir Alikhani," a "well-known contractor in Khorramabad" from a respected family in Lorestan province. The source also mentioned that Ahmad Alikhani, an environmental activist from Khorramabad, had planted a tree on the grave of the deceased teenager Nika in accordance with local customs and in support of the Shakeri family "in place of Nika's deceased father". In addition to the statements from the informed source, an Iranian media outlet also reported on the "armed attack" on a citizen in front of the central prison in Khorramabad, stating that the attack occurred on "October 5" of this year. The Telegram channel "Emtidad" quoted attorney Payam Darvishan, reporting that the brother of a detained environmental activist who had gone to the central prison in Khorramabad to follow up on his status was targeted by "unknown armed individuals" who fired "six bullets" using a "Kalashnikov". According to this report, more than "two months" after this "armed attack on the central prison in Khorramabad," the perpetrators have still not been identified or arrested. Payam Darvishan, the attorney, stated that on October 5, "Amir Alikhani went to the central prison in Khorramabad to follow up on the continued detention status of his brother Ahmad Alikhani," who is described as a "well-known" environmental activist in Iran, and was targeted by a "barrage of Kalashnikov fire" in front of the prison, sustaining "six gunshot wounds". According to Amir Alikhani's attorney, he survived death but is now "unable to move." Darvishan also mentioned that "given the family's complete focus" on "saving his life," legal follow-ups have not been pursued, but he called for a "serious response to the crime and identification and arrest of the perpetrators," stating that this incident constitutes a crime against national security and the use of military weapons against citizens and instilling fear in the people. The attorney for the injured citizen announced that relatives have filed a complaint, stating that "immediately after filing the complaint and referring it to Branch 4 of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor's Office in Khorramabad," he had negotiated in person with the "judicial, security, and law enforcement officials" of the province, and the case has been transferred from the police station to the provincial security police in Lorestan. The report indicates that the arrest of Ahmad Alikhani, the environmental activist, and the brother of the injured citizen occurred following the "planting of a tree on Nika Shakeri's grave," while Darvishan noted that he has "spent many years planting thousands of trees in efforts to preserve and restore the country's environment." Darvishan also called for the "closure of the case" formed against Ahmad Alikhani. Previously, Nasrin Shakeri, Nika's mother, announced that she would cancel the memorial ceremony for her child to prevent harm to citizens. She emphasized that due to the problems that arose and her desire not to harm other dear and honorable compatriots attending the ceremony, she was forced to cancel the event. Additionally, Yalda Aghafazli's father canceled the anniversary ceremony for his daughter out of fear that government officials would harm "the children of the people" during the event. The expression of "fear" from Yalda Aghafazli's father regarding the potential harm from Islamic Republic forces follows incidents that have occurred at the graves of some deceased protesters. For instance, after a ceremony held at the grave of Kian Pirfalak, a child killed in Izeh, the mother's cousin, Pouya Molaei Rad, was shot dead. The reactions to the killing of Pouya Molaei Rad have included statements from Reza Pahlavi, who described it as "pure malice" that will fall with the will of the Iranian people.