Release of Video Showing Last Moments of Kianoush Sanjari and Third Statement from His 'Friends'

Warning: Contains content related to suicide. Nothing is more important than human life. If you are having thoughts of 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 National Line 988; In Canada: Number 911 or 18334564566; In the UK: 116123; and in Afghanistan: 11. A group of Kianoush Sanjari's 'friends' announced on Monday, December 5, the release of a video showing the last moments of this political activist's life. The original and complete version of this video has been seen by Kianoush's family, and its content and events have been confirmed by them. Kianoush's 'friends' stated in their announcement that they decided to release this video after 'the publication of two screenshots from the security camera footage of the Charsou building, which recorded the last moments of Kianoush's life before his protest suicide, raised doubts about these images.' They emphasized: 'Although this document will be made available to the public, it is important to note that the release of such documents at a time when investigations are still ongoing not only disrupts the proper and scientific process of investigation and the hierarchy of verifications but also poses serious challenges to the physical and psychological safety and even the privacy of witnesses and individuals who are helping to uncover the truth, all of whom are in Iran and accessible to the repressive institutions of the Islamic Republic. Such pressures and the atmosphere of false distrust related to the cyber activities of security institutions may discourage them from continuing their cooperation and disrupt investigations.' This group of friends of Kianoush Sanjari further noted: 'While respecting the public's right to know the truth and the free flow of information, we kindly ask for patience and to prepare to thwart the security project aimed at demonizing Kianoush, which was addressed in the previous statement, and to channel their energy towards the goal and intention for which Kianoush sacrificed his life.' They concluded: 'As stated in the second statement, our investigation as friends and comrades of Kianoush continues, and the results of this investigation will be published in detail, along with the collected evidence. The Iranian government, like all of us, was aware of Kianoush's decision. Although it had the opportunity to intervene and prevent his protest suicide, it consciously and passively watched his death. If the Islamic Republic had not been in power, Kianoush and other martyrs of the homeland would still be alive. The criminal Islamic regime is responsible for Kianoush Sanjari's death in every respect.' This statement was signed by Ahmad Batebi, Sepideh Pouraghaei, Ardeshir Zarehzadeh, Behrouz Javid Tehrani, Farzad Hamidi, Abbas Khorsandi, Kaveh Shirzad, Bahman Sadeghi Noor, Kourosh Sahati, Hamid Alizadeh, Mehrdad Lahrasebi, Saeed Kalanki, Manoochehr Mohammadi, and Reza Mobin. Kianoush Sanjari, a journalist, former collaborator with Voice of America, and human rights activist who returned to Iran after years of living abroad, ended his life on Wednesday, November 23, 1403, in protest against the conditions of political prisoners in the Islamic Republic. One day before this act, he had announced in a post on X that if Fatemeh Sepahri, Nasrin Shakeri, Tomaj Salehi, and Arsham Rezai 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 the dictatorship of Khamenei and his associates.