Naming the Deceased Man in Sabzevar as 'Promoter of Virtue'; Al-Daghi's Family: 'He Was Neither Basij nor Jihadi'

Media affiliated with the Islamic Republic attempted to introduce Hamidreza Al-Daghi, a man who was stabbed and died while defending a girl from harassers, as a 'martyr of promoting virtue.' However, his family explicitly states that he was 'neither Basij nor Jihadi.' According to reports, on the evening of the 8th of Ordibehesht, 46-year-old Hamidreza Al-Daghi got involved in a fight in Sabzevar, Razavi Khorasan province in northeastern Iran, while supporting a girl who was being harassed by several young men, resulting in his death from 'stabbing blows.' Mr. Al-Daghi was a former handball player and a member of the Tarbiat Jam University team at various age levels. Official news agencies affiliated with the Islamic Republic attempted to portray him as a 'martyr' and 'defender' of compulsory hijab, but his family insists that his actions were not for 'any faction' or 'any political agenda.' The Mizan news agency, the media organ of the judiciary, referred to Mr. Al-Daghi as a 'martyr of preventing vice,' while Hossein Salami, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, described him as a 'martyr of honor' defending the 'sanctity of chastity and honor,' claiming his actions were a response to the 'enemy's efforts' in 'promoting vice' and 'undermining virtue.' Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, also regarded this Sabzevar man's actions as part of the 'necessary duty of promoting virtue and preventing vice,' claiming that 'the honor of the Iranian youth foils every enemy plot.' The Mehr news agency also referred to him as a 'promoter of virtue' and defender of the 'honor of the country,' reporting that the assailants were arrested 'in less than 10 hours.' Although media affiliated with the Islamic Republic have named this deceased man as a 'martyr of promoting virtue,' his mother emphasized that Hamidreza Al-Daghi was 'neither Basij nor Jihadi.' In a televised interview, Mr. Al-Daghi's mother stated that 'since Hamid had a 15-year-old daughter, he could not bear to see such a scene and watch the daughters of the people being taken away.' Mr. Al-Daghi's wife also reacted to the claims of government media, pointing to a video released from the altercation, stating that the film is 'clear' and he is 'not Basij,' but merely tried to 'take the right from the oppressed,' asserting that 'no one can attach him to anything, either inside or outside.' The killing of Hamidreza Al-Daghi and the Islamic Republic's attempts to portray him as a 'promoter of virtue' have been interpreted by some social media users as 'usurpation.' Previously, officials and media of the Islamic Republic have tried to introduce deceased individuals, including some killed protesters, as 'Basij.' Several social media users have shared images of Hamidreza Rouhi, a 19-year-old protester killed during protests in Tehran, alongside Hamidreza Al-Daghi, highlighting the regime's efforts to label them as 'Basij.'