Iranian activist's tragic protest highlights the regime's oppression
A well-known Iranian opposition activist, Kjanusz Sandżari, took his own life in protest against the dictatorial regime of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reported the BBC.
On Wednesday evening, Sandżari posted on social media, stating that he would end his life if by 7 PM (Greenwich Time) four Iranian political prisoners were not released: Fateme Sepehari, Nasrin Szakrami, Tomadż Salehi, and Arszam Rezei. In the post, he expressed hope that "one day Iranians will wake up and overcome slavery." He also emphasised that "no one should be imprisoned for expressing their opinion" and that "protesting is the right of every Iranian."
Shortly after the designated time, other activists confirmed Sandżari's death. The prisoners whose release the activist demanded were arrested during mass protests ignited by the death of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini. The woman died in 2022 after being detained by the so-called morality police.
Kjanusz Sandżari had previously been detained by Iranian authorities for his political activities – in 1999 and 2007. After his release in 2007, he emigrated from Iran and was granted asylum in Norway. He then joined the Persian section of Voice of America radio in Washington.
Kjanusz Sandżari returned to his homeland
In 2016, he returned to his homeland to be near his parents. Shortly after his return, he was arrested and sentenced to 11 years in the notorious Evin Prison. In 2019, for medical reasons, he was released on bail and placed in a psychiatric hospital. In discussions with independent media, Sandżari claimed that he was electroshocked, tied to a bed, and given unknown substances in the hospital.
After his death, free speech activist Hoseyn Ronaghi bid him farewell on the X platform, writing: "Kjanusz Sandżari is not just a name; he is a symbol of many years of pain, resistance, and struggle for freedom."
