Iranian activist's tragic sacrifice highlights regime's tyranny

On Wednesday evening, Sanjari posted on social media, stating that he would end his life if by 2 PM (Eastern Time), four Iranian political prisoners were not released: Fateme Sepehari, Nasrin Shakrami, Tomaj Salehi, and Arsham Rezei. In the post, he expressed hope that "one day Iranians will wake up and overcome slavery." He also emphasized 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 Sanjari's death, as reported by the PAP, citing the BBC. The prisoners whose release the activist demanded were arrested during mass protests ignited by the death of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini. She died in 2022 after being detained by the so-called morality police.

Kianoosh Sanjari 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.

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, Sanjari 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: "Kianoosh Sanjari is not just a name; he is a symbol of many years of pain, resistance, and struggle for freedom."