Kianoosh Sanjari: Iran's prisons 'disturbed my soul'

On Tuesday, a message was posted on the X account of Iranian journalist and human rights activist Kianoosh Sanjari, stating that if four political prisoners were not released by the following evening, Sanjari would end his own life in protest against the regime Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

By Wednesday evening, two more messages had been published, reaffirming Sanjari's resolve to carry out his plan. Minutes later, Sanjari's death was confirmed by political and civil activists at the scene. The full details of the incident remain unclear.

Sanjari, who was 42 years old, had endured numerous imprisonments and detentions by the Islamic Republic since the age of 17.

'Solitary confinement disturbed my soul'

In a 2022 interview, previously unpublished due to the events surrounding the death of Iranian-Kurdish woman Jina Mahsa Amini after she was arrested for allegedly violating Iran's strict dress code and the ensuing protests, DW had asked Sanjari about how solitary confinement had affected his life.

"The positive effect of solitary confinement on me was that it made me more patient and resilient. It expanded my worldview and revealed to me the ugliness of dictatorship," he said.

Sanjari, seen here with US actress Bridget Moynahan in February 2014, was involved with the international human rights movementImage: Stephen Lovekin/CBGB/Getty Images

"However, I cannot deny that solitary confinement also disturbed my soul and spirit. Before, I sometimes thought about death and even hesitated, but eventually, through a deeper understanding of the world around me and the history of humanity, my sadness lessened. I was able to understand myself and others more."

Imprisoned, tortured

Sanjari's life was deeply intertwined with journalism and the defense of human rights. He left Iran in 2007 and, after living for a short time in the Kurdistan region of Iraq and Norway, Sanjari moved to the United States where he worked for the Farsi service of the Voice of America. He returned to Iran in 2016, and was subsequently arrested multiple times — including during the "Women, Life, Freedom" protest movement after Amini's death.

"Many years ago, in Evin prison in Tehran, they slapped me 20 times before asking the first question," Sanjari told DW. "In recent years, the treatment in prison has been better, but humiliation, pressure and white [psychological] torture have continued."

"The solitary cell is a form of torture because a person is placed in a vacuum, unaware of everything happening outside the four walls. It's a kind of vacuum of time, place, people, family and life. Sometimes, you lose whether it's day or night."

Despite repeated arrests and ongoing security threats, Sanjari never wavered in his commitment to advocating for the release of political prisoners and defending human rights in Iran.

"If your ideals are not strong enough, you will collapse. I spent a total of over a year in solitary confinement," he said. "I heard the cries and screams of many prisoners and witnessed those who committed suicide in solitary confinement, who were later brought to my cell."

Another victim of the Islamic Republic

Sanjari's death has sparked much discussion in recent days, particularly on social media. Some have claimed the messages posted on his X account were not written by Sanjari himself, suggesting that his account was controlled by Iran's security agents. Others have argued that his death may have been caused by factors other than suicide.

However, almost all users agree that Sanjari, like many others human rights activists and journalists, was yet another victim of the Islamic Republic. In tribute, many have since reposted a profound phrase found on Sanjari's X account:

"The life of a homeland owes me to think only of life, and not of the homeland."

Edited by: Martin Kuebler