BEHIND THE IRAN HEADLINES Series, September 9, 2024, Alireza Jafarzadeh, NCRI-US Deputy Director
Shocking reports have emerged from Iran about the torture and death of Komeyl Abolhassani, a political prisoner, in the northern city of Tonekabon on August 30th. Fearing a public backlash, the regime has tried to depict Abolhassani as an ordinary criminal rather than a political prisoner.
Facing numerous internal and regional crises and fearing another uprising, the regime has intensified repression and executions to unprecedented levels. Despite his promises of reform, the new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has taken no action to stop the executions.
Abolhassani was a courageous protester during the 2022 uprising. Arrested on September 21, 2022, for setting fire to a stand of repressive forces, he spent three months in prison. After his release, he was repeatedly summoned for forced confessions. During his last summons, intelligence agents subjected him to severe beatings and intimidation. The IRGC has attempted to shift blame, claiming he died of an overdose.
In recent days, more cases of killings and violence against young people have sparked public outrage. Mohammad Mirmosavi, 36, was arrested during a local altercation and died the same night in custody after being tortured and shot.
Meanwhile, the campaign known as “No to Executions Tuesdays,” a powerful movement initiated by political prisoners across Iran, has now entered its 32nd week, gaining momentum both domestically and internationally. This campaign, characterized by weekly hunger strikes, represents a growing wave of resistance against the increasing use of the death penalty and the oppressive conditions imposed on those in detention.
The deaths of Komeyl Abolhassani and Mohammad Mirmosavi are stark reminders of the ongoing human rights crisis in Iran and the regime’s efforts to suppress dissent. Like Tehran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons and regional terrorism, the systemic execution, torture, and brutal suppression of dissent will only end when the regime is replaced by a democratic, non-nuclear republic led by the Iranian people and their organized resistance.