He had celebrated Iran’s exit from the World Cup and was killed for it. According to the human rights organization Iran Human Rights (IHR), Mehran Samak († 27) was shot dead after driving his horn through the Iranian city of Bandar Ansali on the Caspian Sea. Security forces then stopped him and shot him in the head.
The Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI), based in New York, confirmed that Samak was killed by security forces during his party.
Iran was eliminated at the tournament in Qatar on Tuesday by arch enemy USA, which led to disappointed but also happy reactions in its own country. Many Iranians have refused to support their national team due to the violent crackdown on protests that have been going on in the country for the past two months.
Iranian national player Saeid Ezatolahi (26) reported on Samak’s death on Instagram. Both apparently knew each other from childhood. “After last night’s bitter loss, the news of your death has set my heart on fire.” The footballer did not comment on the background of the death. At least not directly. “One day the masks will fall and the truth will come out. This is not what our youth deserved. This is not what our country deserves.”
The Mullah regime killed nearly 500 people
The CHRI released a video of Samak’s funeral on Wednesday. Mourners can be heard shouting “Death to the Dictator”. The slogan is directed against Iran’s spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and is often heard in the nationwide protests.
Iran has been rocked by a nationwide wave of protests since mid-September. The trigger was the death of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in police custody – she had been arrested by the vice squad for allegedly wearing her headscarf incorrectly.
The authorities are taking increasingly strict action against the demonstrators. At least 448 people have been killed by security forces, according to IHR, and the military says more than 300 have been killed. (jmh/AFP)