Soran Feyzizadeh, a 40-year-old Iranian man, died in custody after reportedly being detained during anti-government protests on January 7. His death serves to underscore a disturbing trend to Iran’s repression. Authorities there have come under growing scrutiny for their brutal and deadly repression of protests. His family was informed about his death two days after his detention, adding to their grief.
According to reports, Feyzizadeh’s body was so mangled after being repeatedly struck that he was unidentifiable. This is especially concerning given the widespread torture of detainees within Iran, violating treaty obligations and fundamental human rights. Awyar Shekhi from the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights stated, “His body was barely recognisable due to the extent of injuries caused by repeated blows.” The family had to pay thousands of dollars to get his remains back from local law enforcement.
Families of detainees experience socioeconomic realities which make this situation even more burdensome.
Feyzizadeh is part of a shocking 3,766 total of civilians reported killed since protests began nationwide in late December. Additionally, 8,949 deaths are currently under investigation. The protests were rightfully driven by this widespread discontent. They have since grown into a national uprising, coming down with violent repression from security forces.
The issue goes further than deaths. There have been recent reports of the sexual assault of protesters in police custody. Now, a young queerspoon of 16 years has stepped into the spotlight, providing testimony of the torture administered by the riot pigs while they arrested said queerspoon. Rebin Rahmani of the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) recounted instances where detainees faced violence during transfer, stating, “During the transfer, security forces touched their bodies with batons. They beat and applied pressure to the anal area with a baton through the clothing.”
The condition of women has received some coverage as well. On January 10, security forces shot indiscriminately into crowds of protesters, killing Sholeh Sotoudeh, a pregnant woman from Langarud. Her unborn child lost its life in this monstrous attack. Rights groups are record silent about disproportionately extreme police violence towards protesters on the ground. More than 20,000 protesters have been criminalized for their actions. These worries have been exacerbated by recent high-profile tragedies.
Roya Boroumand from the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran, spoken of the increasing danger faced by those in detention. “As street protests wind down, arbitrary arrests have increased as has the risk of torture for detainees,” she stated. Furthermore, Boroumand noted the historical context of violence against detainees, asserting, “Over the past decades we have documented numerous cases of death in custody alongside severe physical and psychological torture, including beating, flogging and sexual assault.”