Reactions to Kianoush Sanjari's Protest Suicide: His Blood is on the Islamic Republic

Warning: Contains content related to suicide. Nothing is more important than human life. If you are considering 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 Crisis and Suicide Prevention Line 988. In Canada: 911 or 18334564566. In the UK: 116123 and in Afghanistan: 119. Kianoush Sanjari, a former Voice of America journalist, human rights activist, and former political prisoner, committed suicide on Wednesday, November 14, in protest against the "dictatorship of Khamenei," prompting widespread reactions on social media, with some users blaming the Islamic Republic for his death. Sanjari had previously exposed the methods of mental torture and insanity-inducing practices against political prisoners by the Iranian authorities in an interview with Voice of America. In response to the announcement of Sanjari's suicide, Siamak Aram, a human rights activist residing in the USA, stated that Sanjari "was supposed to board a plane to America tomorrow, November 14." However, he emphasized, "It must be said with certainty that the Islamic Republic drove Kianoush to suicide." The account "Vahid Online," which tracks events in Iran on social media, shared images of crowds and the presence of emergency and fire department personnel at the location of Sanjari's last post on X. Aliyeh Matlabi, a journalist who had been following Sanjari's situation, confirmed his suicide and wrote: "Kianoush Sanjari was not alone, but he was determined, and until the last moment, one of his psychologist friends was with him." The account "Iran Plateau" on X also published an image of Kianoush Sanjari alongside child laborers, stating: "Goodbye, son of Iran!" Samira Rahi, a journalist, emphasized that "the Islamic Republic is officially responsible for Kianoush's death," referring to his history of "at least 9 arrests, six forced transfers to a psychiatric hospital, two years in prison, and 9 months in solitary confinement," and wrote: "Now Kianoush Sanjari's blood will forever be written in the name of the Islamic Republic." Shima Babaei, a human rights activist, also described Sanjari's death as "a scream against injustice." The official account of the Israeli government in Persian on X also published part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's message to Iranians on Tuesday, using the hashtag "Kianoush Sanjari," stating: "Do not lose hope. Do not let the Islamic Republic kill your dreams." One day before this act, Kianoush Sanjari posted on X that if Fatemeh Sepehri, Nasrin Shakeri, Tomaj Salehi, and Arasham Rezai were not released from prison by 7 PM on Wednesday, November 14, 2023, and if 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. He then published a photo titled: "7 PM, Hafez Bridge, Chaharso." After this post, a large number of users from various political and intellectual backgrounds attempted to dissuade this political activist from his decision by sending messages under his post. Kianoush Sanjari, a former Voice of America colleague, blogger, and human rights activist born in 1982 in Tehran, 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 repeatedly arrested for publishing reports on the situation of political prisoners and exposing human rights violations, spending some time in prison. His reports documented 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 initially sought refuge in Iraqi Kurdistan and was later transferred to Norway with the help of Amnesty International. He subsequently immigrated to the USA and continued his media activities in exile. After several years in exile, Sanjari decided to return to Iran in October 2016, aiming to care for his sick mother. His return came despite potential dangers and threats, and just days after his arrival in 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.