Kianoush Sanjari Ends His Life in Protest Against Khamenei's Dictatorship

Warning: Contains content related to suicide. Nothing is more important than human life. If you are thinking about suicide, please contact these special numbers for help: In Iran: Social Emergency 123, Consultant Voice 1480, or Tehran Psychiatric Emergency 44508200. In the USA: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 18002738255, or National Crisis and Suicide Prevention Line 988. In Canada: 911 or 18334564566. In the UK: 116123 and in Afghanistan: 119. Kianoush Sanjari, a journalist and former collaborator of Voice of America, human rights activist, and former political prisoner, ended his life on Wednesday, November 23, 1403, in protest against the conditions of political prisoners in the Islamic Republic. Two informed sources confirmed this news in an interview with Voice of America. Abdullah Momeni, a political activist, wrote on social media platform X: "At seven o'clock, I realized that Kianoush had tweeted that... the heavier the traffic, the more anxious I became, until I reached Hafez Bridge... From the beauty of it, a white sheet was thrown over him, and when I asked the officers what his name was, they said Kianoush... I hit my forehead and said, oh no." Hussein Ronaghi, a political activist opposed to the government, also wrote on social media X: "We did everything we could, last night, today, but Kianoush is gone." Aliyeh Matlabi, a journalist, and several other civil activists also confirmed this news by posting on X. Moments before ending his life, Kianoush Sanjari wrote on X (formerly Twitter): "My life will end after this tweet, but let us not forget that we give our lives for the love of life, not for death. I hope that one day Iranians will awaken and overcome slavery." He also published a photo from a bridge with the caption: "7 PM, Hafez Bridge, Chaharso." One day before this act, he had posted on X stating that if Fatemeh Sepahri, Nasrin Shakeri, Tomaj Salehi, and Arasham Razai were not released from prison by 7 PM on Wednesday, November 23, 1403, and if news of their release was not published on the judiciary's news site, he would end his life in protest against Khamenei's dictatorship and his partners. After this post was published, a large number of users from various political and intellectual backgrounds sent messages under his post in an attempt to dissuade this political activist from his decision. Kianoush Sanjari, a former Voice of America journalist, blogger, and human rights activist, was born in 1982 in Tehran and began his political and social activities during his student years. He played a role in the United Student Front and the Committee of Human Rights Reporters, and was arrested multiple times for publishing reports on the conditions of political prisoners and exposing human rights violations, spending some time in prison. His reports included documenting the poor conditions of political prisoners, the violent behavior of security forces, and other human rights violations, which he published in various media, especially on his personal blog. In 2006, after enduring severe security pressures, he was forced to leave Iran. He first sought refuge in Iraqi Kurdistan and then was transferred to Norway with the help of Amnesty International. He later immigrated to the USA and continued his media activities in exile. After arriving in the USA, Sanjari collaborated with Voice of America and organizations such as the Boroumand Foundation and Iran Human Rights Organization, providing reports on the human rights situation and political prisoners in Iran. After several years of living in exile, Kianoush Sanjari decided to return to Iran in October 2016, aiming to care for his sick mother. His return occurred despite potential dangers and threats, and just days after entering Iran, he was arrested by security forces and sentenced to 11 years in prison. During his imprisonment, he was transferred to Aminabad Psychiatric Hospital and faced severe pressures. He had revealed the psychological torture he experienced during this period in an interview with Voice of America.