Activist takes own life in protest at Iranian regime

A well-known Iranian quality rights activistic has killed himself successful protestation astatine what helium called the dictatorship of Iran's ultimate leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In a station connected societal media, Kianoosh Sanjari said helium would instrumentality his ain beingness if 4 governmental prisoners were not released by 19:00 section clip (16:30 BST) connected Wednesday.

When authorities did not escaped the prisoners, helium posted an representation taken from precocious up overlooking a engaged junction successful the superior Tehran connected X.

"My beingness volition extremity aft this tweet," helium wrote astatine 19:20, adding: "I privation that 1 time Iranians volition aftermath up and flooded slavery."

"No 1 should beryllium imprisoned for expressing their opinions.

"Protest is the close of each Iranian citizen."

His decease was confirmed hours aboriginal by chap activists.

Sanjari was a vocal professional of Iran's leaders and advocator for democracy.

On Wednesday morning, helium posted an ultimatum connected X, demanding the merchandise of 4 governmental prisoners.

"If Fateme Sepehari, Nasreen Shakrami, Tomaj Salehi and Arsham Rezaei are not released from situation by 19:00 contiguous ... I volition extremity my beingness successful protestation against the dictatorship of Khamenei and his partners."

All 4 were arrested for their enactment and engagement successful the question of unprecedented protests pursuing the decease of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died successful 2022 aft being detained by Iran’s morality police.

Sanjari was repeatedly arrested and imprisoned for his governmental activism betwixt 1999 and 2007.

He near Iran successful 2007 and received asylum successful Norway, earlier joining US broadcasting work Voice of America's Persian work successful Washington DC.

He returned to Iran successful 2016 to beryllium with his parents, and was arrested and sentenced to 11 years imprisonment successful Evin prison, wherever governmental prisoners are often imprisoned.

He was released connected bail successful 2019 connected aesculapian grounds, and subsequently taken to a psychiatric hospital.

He told section media helium was fixed electrical shocks, chained to a furniture and injected with substances.

"Kianoosh Sanjeri is not conscionable a name, it is simply a awesome of years of pain, absorption and conflict for freedom," state of code activistic Hossein Ronaghi posted connected X.