On January 30, 2024, Sepehr Shirani, 18 years old, died under suspicious circumstances after three days in the custody of a security institution in Zahedan, as reported by Haal Vsh.
IRGC Intelligence is said to be responsible for his arrest, notifying Shirani’s family of his demise via a phone call. As of now, his body has not been handed over to his family.
The agents cited the publication of critical social media posts as the reason for Shirani’s arrest.
The Baloch Activists Campaign, a human rights monitor in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, has reported that Shirani died under torture while in custody.
Notably, recent years have seen numerous cases of suspicious deaths or murders of citizens within police detention centers, security, and judicial institutions. In most instances, investigations have failed to definitively identify perpetrators or hold authorities accountable.
The agents had reportedly mentioned publishing criticizing posts on social media as the reason for Shirani’s arrest.
According to HRA’s annual report for 2023, a total of 1,386 violations of prisoners’ rights were documented. These include 27 cases of physical assault on prisoners, 1,390 instances of denial or neglect of medical care, 342 illegal transfers to solitary confinement, 114 attempted hunger strikes, 415 cases of forced transfer or exile of prisoners, 4,140 instances of threats and pressure on prisoners, 66 cases of denying prisoner visitation rights, 34 cases of psychological and physical torture, 7 deaths due to illness, 12 suicides, 1 case of self-immolation, 4 murders of prisoners, 208 instances of lack of access to legal counsel, 4,197 reports of prisoners being kept in unsuitable conditions, 80 cases of forced confession, 290 instances of non-segregation of crimes, 78 denials of medical leave, and 101 denials of the right to contact.
