About

Ali-Reza Fathi, a 22-year-old Kurdish youth from Sanandaj Kolyai in Kermanshah province, became a tragic symbol of the Iranian government’s brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters. On the night of September 21, 2022, during the public demonstrations in Qazvin, sparked by the government’s killing of Jina Amini, Ali-Reza was fatally shot by security forces, emphasizing the lethal risks faced by those demanding justice and freedom in Iran.

Working in the Alvand Industrial Town in Qazin, Ali-Reza’s last moments were marked by a poignant phone call with his sister, expressing a simple, human desire for dinner, unaware of the fate that awaited him. His family’s grief was compounded when they were presented with his empty lunchbox and work clothes, a stark and heart-wrenching confirmation of his death by gunfire.

The circumstances of Ali-Reza’s death, particularly the close-range shooting that led to devastating injuries, highlight the violent methods employed by the regime’s forces, including the use of bullets designed to explode inside the body. The subsequent handling of his burial, shrouded in stringent security measures and limited family attendance, further reflects the government’s efforts to suppress the true narrative of his martyrdom.

Attempts by Ali-Reza’s family to seek justice were met with obstruction and threats, illustrating the systemic denial of accountability and the silencing of victims’ voices. The local authorities’ claims that Ali-Reza died in a group conflict, coupled with their intimidation tactics, underscore the challenges faced by families in their quest for truth and reparation.

Ali-Reza Fathi’s story is a call to remember and amplify the voices of those less heard, shedding light on the personal tragedies behind widespread protest movements. His life, cut short in the pursuit of basic rights and dignity, reminds us of the ongoing struggle for human rights in Iran and the imperative to stand in solidarity with all victims of state violence.