"No one should be imprisoned for expressing their opinions. Protest is the right of every Iranian citizen," the activist wrote in his final message.
This statement was originally published on gc4hr.org on 18 November 2024.
The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) mourns the tragic loss of prominent Iranian human rights activist Kianoosh Sanjari, who ended his life on 8 November 2024 to protest the ongoing oppression of civil society in Iran. Sanjari’s death serves as a stark reminder of the dire human rights crisis in Iran, where dissenters are silenced, women’s rights are curtailed, and political prisoners endure severe hardships.
In his final social media post, Sanjari issued an ultimatum, calling for the release of four imprisoned human rights defenders – Fatemeh Sepehri, Nasrin Shakarami, Toomaj Salehi and Arsham Rezaei – by 19:00 local time, or he would end his life as a form of protest. The human rights defenders remain detained for their involvement in protests following the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who died after her brutal arrest by Iran’s morality police in 2022.
Before his death, Sanjari, a vocal advocate for democracy, wrote, “No one should be imprisoned for expressing their opinions. Protest is the right of every Iranian citizen.” He expressed his hope that one day Iranians would “wake up and overcome slavery.”
Sanjari was a prominent symbol of resistance. His activism began in the late 1990s, leading to multiple arrests and imprisonments. He fled Iran in 2007, seeking asylum in Norway before joining Voice of America’s Persian service in Washington, D.C. Despite facing persecution, he returned to Iran in 2016 to care for his ailing parents, only to be arrested again and sentenced to 11 years in Evin Prison. Released on bail in 2019 for medical reasons, Sanjari endured psychiatric detention marked by inhumane treatment, including electric shocks and forced injections.
Tragically, Sanjari’s account on X has “Still alive” in his bio.
Kianoosh Sanjari’s sacrifice highlights the urgent need to address human rights abuses in Iran.
GCHR calls on the Iranian authorities to:
- Immediately and unconditionally release all human rights defenders and activists including Fatemeh Sepehri, Nasrin Shakarami, Toomaj Salehi, Arsham Rezaei, and all those detained for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly;
- End the persecution, arbitrary detention, and ill-treatment of activists, human rights defenders, and their families; and
- Ensure that all citizens can peacefully advocate for their rights without fear of reprisals.
