Reactions to the Death of Kianoush Sanjari: An Indictment Against the Islamic Republic

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, Advisor's Voice 1480, or Tehran Psychiatric Emergency 44508200. In the USA: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 18002738255, or Crisis and Suicide Prevention Hotline 988. In Canada: 911 or 18334564566. In the UK: 116123 and in Afghanistan: 119. The Tehran Prosecutor's Office announced that a judicial case has been opened regarding the 'suspicious death' of Kianoush Sanjari. Reactions from users on social media continue, with some considering the death of this political activist as 'an indictment against the political system' of the Islamic Republic in Iran and 'a wake-up call to society.' Mohammad Shahriari, head of the Tehran Criminal Court, stated on Thursday, November 24, that based on eyewitness accounts, 'a young man threw himself from the top of the Charsou building' near Hafez Bridge in central Tehran, identifying him as Kianoush Sanjari. Kianoush Sanjari, a former journalist for Voice of America and a former political prisoner, declared one day before his suicide attempt that if the Islamic Republic did not release four political prisoners—Fatemeh Sepehri, Nasrin Shakerimi, Toumaj Salehi, and Arasham Razai—within the next 24 hours, he would end his life in protest against 'the dictatorship of Ali Khamenei and his associates.' The head of the Tehran Criminal Court, without mentioning the identity of the individual who was with Kianoush Sanjari at the time of the incident, quoted him as saying that Mr. Sanjari 'had been in contact with the deceased due to mental health issues since 2015' and 'since the deceased had threatened suicide on social media, I saw him before this incident and was present with him in the Charsou building.' According to Mohammad Shahriari, a person identified as a psychotherapist 'said that the deceased had informed her that he had changed his mind about suicide and the issue was resolved; therefore, she left the location and went home,' but returned to retrieve her power bank left with Kianoush Sanjari, and 'since she suspected the deceased might commit suicide, she informed the building's security, and when they reached the roof, the deceased had already thrown himself down.' Mr. Sanjari, who had been arrested more than nine times and had been detained multiple times by the judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic in psychiatric facilities, had previously told Voice of America that he paid the price for his love for Iran with torture, humiliation, and imprisonment. He had also exposed the project of driving political prisoners insane. Despite announcing a protest suicide 24 hours before the incident, the authorities of the Islamic Republic showed no action or reaction to this issue, but some individuals close to the government encouraged Mr. Sanjari to commit suicide on social media. The head of the Tehran Criminal Court stated that 'we are aware of this individual's suicide threats on social media,' adding that Mr. Sanjari's body has been transferred to forensic medicine, and a case has been opened in the Criminal Court under the title 'suspicious death' for this political activist opposing the Islamic Republic. The death of Kianoush Sanjari, which the judicial institution referred to as 'suspicious,' has sparked widespread reactions on social media. Amnesty International, in response to this event, stated in a statement that 'we mourn the loss of Kianoush Sanjari in Iran,' declaring, 'His passion for human rights will continue to shine.' This international human rights organization emphasized that 'while years of interrogation, illegal detention, torture, and exile cast a shadow over his life, his oppressors have still not been punished,' asserting, 'His death is our collective grief and strengthens our call for justice.' Payam Darvishan, a lawyer, commented on the presence of an individual with Mr. Sanjari at the scene, who was said to be a psychotherapist, based on statements from those who had been in contact with him in his final hours, writing on social media: 'If the therapist has a psychological system, she has committed negligence and has not adhered to regulations, placing the victim in a dangerous situation in an inappropriate environment and not removing suicide tools from him. If she does not have a psychological system, why did she instill confidence in Kianoush Sanjari's relatives to leave him alone?' Mehdi Yarahee, a protest singer and former political prisoner, referred to Kianoush Sanjari's statements in the last hours before his death, recalling the deaths of Baktash Abtin in prison and Mahsa Amini in custody, writing: 'No one should be imprisoned for expressing their opinions. Protest is the right of every Iranian citizen.' Mehdi Aslani, a writer and former political prisoner, also described Kianoush Sanjari's death as 'murder,' pointing out the comments of various individuals on social media, stating: 'To equate the victim with the murderer for any purpose diminishes the heinousness of the murder. The main murderer in this corruption is one person: Seyyed Ali Khamenei.' Ismail Bakhshi, a labor activist, also reacted to this event, stating that 'Kianoush Sanjari's last words were a wish for the awakening and triumph of the people of Iran over slavery,' writing: 'Until we awaken, until we overcome slavery, these imposed deaths of our youth will continue. They want death for life-loving youth. Death to them!' He also emphasized: 'Let us be the voice of the children of Ekbatan.' One user stated that 'Kianoush Sanjari's suicide, according to Emile Durkheim's suicide theory, was a combination of altruistic and anomic suicide,' saying: 'From this perspective, it was not merely a reactive and passive act, but an indictment against the political system and a wake-up call to a society that drives a prisoner and political activist not to the brink of death but to death itself.' Mohsen Barahani, a lawyer and university professor, commented on those who wrote 'provocative phrases' under Kianoush Sanjari's tweet, stating that they, according to Islamic Penal Code, 'committed the crime of incitement to suicide through computer systems and deserve imprisonment or a fine.' Maryam Shakirani, a journalist, also raised the question: 'Where was the emergency service or the government in the Kianoush Sanjari case?' stating: 'Our position on this side of the story is clear, and we have received our answer many times before.' She emphasized that political prisoners, after their release, face 'a very difficult life with social exclusion and struggle with poverty,' referring to 'traumas, nightmares, broken families and friendships, stigmas, labels, and verbal wounds,' urging everyone to be 'more careful in their behaviors' when dealing with them. Kianoush Sanjari, a former colleague of Voice of America, a blogger, and a 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 Reporters on Human Rights, and he was arrested multiple times for publishing reports on the condition of political prisoners and exposing human rights violations, spending some time in prison. His reports included documenting the poor conditions of political prisoners, violent behavior of security forces, and other human rights violations 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 eventually immigrated to the USA and continued his media activities in exile. After several years of living in exile, in October 2016, he decided to return to Iran to care for his sick mother. His return came 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.