Mostafa Kiarostami; Struck on the Head During Friday Prayer on July 26

The victims of 88 recount the stories of those who lost their lives during protests against the results of an election. The story of individuals whose lives ended after the tenth presidential election in Iran in June 2009. The narrative of citizens who were killed by direct gunfire during protest marches, beaten in the streets or in prison, inhaled tear gas, had police vehicles run over them, were thrown from pedestrian bridges, and other violent methods. With the death of each person, the lives of one or several families were plunged into insecurity and crisis. On Friday, July 26, a crowd of worshippers is seen from Vali Asr Square to the end of Qods Street, and it is suspected that they are the Green protesters who have come to the streets to demonstrate. Tehran is tense as Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the head of the Expediency Discernment Council and the Assembly of Experts, is set to lead the Friday prayer for the first time eight weeks after the presidential election. The internal atmosphere of Iran is still influenced by the widespread protests following the announcement of the election results, and Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the Iranian Minister of Intelligence, warns of the occurrence of what he calls 'undesirable scenes' during the Friday prayer. Protesters have coordinated through previous marches and social media to attend this Friday prayer. Mostafa Kiarostami is only 24 years old. He studies civil engineering at the University of Tehran and has just been married for six months. The protests against the 2009 election results have piqued his curiosity. He knows that the protesters, unable to obtain a permit from the Ministry of Interior for a protest march, have now decided to use the Islamic Republic's calendar events and government-related ceremonies to take to the streets and voice their objections. Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi, and Mohsen Rezaei, three candidates contesting the announced election results, are also present at this Friday prayer. As Mostafa walks, he feels reassured when he sees passersby holding bottles of water and newspapers, knowing they are Green protesters. The newspapers are useful for creating shade or burning when tear gas is fired, as people have experienced in previous marches. At the end of Taleghani Street, where it reaches Qods Square, a large crowd is sitting on the ground, the end of which is not visible. The Green protesters advance and even cross the Qibla line, where the worshippers are seated in rows behind. Among the crowd, a young girl and boy are seen standing on the prayer rug in their shoes, their faces filled with anxiety, and a little further, several rows of worshippers with green wristbands and headbands stand in prayer. A few have covered their faces with green cloths, and concern is evident in their eyes. The first chant starts from behind Mostafa and swells like a Mexican wave in a stadium: The loudspeaker of the Friday prayer: 'Death to America!' The protesters' response: 'Death to Russia!' The second chant, coming from the end of Enqelab Street, is very quiet and indistinct, but its wave catches the crowd and suddenly the volume rises: 'Say death to China, say death to China...' In every corner of the street, riot police and plainclothes officers with batons are monitoring the chant leaders. A crowd carrying photos of Neda and Sohrab, two of the victims from the protests on June 25 and 30, passes by the worshippers, holding a large green cloth above their heads. Their expressions are worried, and it is unclear whether it is from fear or solidarity, as some hold each other's hands tightly and move forward. The crowd reaches the intersection of University Street, right in front of the University of Tehran. Several layers of riot police and plainclothes officers with batons stand in front of the Greens with their engines off. The Greens tell each other that today they will not interfere with the people; it would be very bad for history if a Friday prayer in Iran were held with tear gas and batons. Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's voice comes through the loudspeaker to the streets surrounding the University of Tehran. The crowd surges, and one voice shouts: 'Hashemi, Hashemi, if you remain silent, you are a traitor... Hashemi, Hashemi, if you remain silent, you are a traitor...' The protesters' voices reach Hashemi, and he responds: 'We all must act within the framework of the law, including the parliament, security and military forces, and the people, meaning the so-called protesters. We must act according to the law and be convinced.' But suddenly, several tear gas canisters are fired at the Green crowd, and motorcycles speed towards the chanting crowd. Mostafa is among the crowd, and a baton strikes his head, rendering him unconscious. His friends say they saw Mostafa get back up after a while and start walking again. The Qods Street to the Qibla line is filled with fire and smoke. The crowd burns the newspapers they brought with them to escape the tear gas. Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani is proposing several solutions to exit the political crisis, including the release of political prisoners. However, other young people outside the university grounds are arrested and taken to prison. Mostafa feels dizzy and heads home. He can barely walk. He pulls out his phone and dials his mother's number. In a conversation I had at that time with his mother, she says: 'Mostafa was not political, but he had his own beliefs. He valued his beliefs. He had opinions as an ordinary person and was not indifferent to his beliefs, but I have no news about what happened to my son on that Friday.' She says: 'On Friday afternoon, my child called and said he was not feeling well and wanted to go home. I told him to stay until I could take him home.' His mother arrives on the street and takes Mostafa home. To the new house they had just moved into six months ago after his marriage. Mostafa keeps telling his mother he feels nauseous. But a few moments later, he falls asleep. Mostafa's mother says: 'Mostafa woke up a few times, and I kept asking him what happened, where he had been, if he was hurt, if someone hit him; he only said, 'Mom, forgive me,' and then kissed his brother and said, 'I am leaving.' His mother becomes anxious from Mostafa's words and takes him to the hospital. She stays with her son in the hospital until midnight and then returns home, but when they arrive home, Mostafa is already asleep and does not wake up. Mostafa's mother says: 'When I saw my child's heartbeat had stopped, I hit my head. My child passed away before my eyes without saying a word to us. At that moment, we did not understand what happened, and to this day, only one ambiguity remains in our lives that bothers us. Who struck Mostafa, and why did he fall asleep and not wake up?' Mostafa Kiarostami's family has not filed any complaints. Their concern was that their other son might get into trouble. Mostafa Kiarostami's mother says: 'The funeral and burial of my son were completed very quickly. At the funeral, Mostafa's friends came and talked about the events of July 26 regarding my son's death, but I told all the relatives that Mostafa had a stroke. I denied everything because I could not bear the thought that tomorrow something else might happen to my other young son, and I am the only breadwinner for him... The story of citizens who were killed by direct gunfire during protest marches, beaten in the streets or in prison, inhaled tear gas, had police vehicles run over them, were thrown from pedestrian bridges, and other violent methods. With the death of each person, the lives of one or several families were plunged into insecurity and crisis.