Amir Arsalan Ezhdehakosh, a 15-year-old protester, was abducted by security forces on October 7, 2022, in Maaliabad, Shiraz. He was subjected to two months of physical and psychological torture by the security forces. On the anniversary of his arrest, on October 7, 2023, he “committed suicide by hanging himself” on the roof of his house and tragically lost his life.
Amir Arsalan was arrested during the nationwide protests in 2022, and his family was completely unaware of his whereabouts for several weeks. After his arrest, this teenager was sent to the Shiraz Correction and Rehabilitation Center for Juveniles. During the two months of detention, he endured both physical and psychological torture by the security forces.
As a result of the physical torture, he suffered from severe neck pain even after his release. He also grappled with the psychological consequences of the torture he had endured. Nightmares made it difficult for him to sleep. Amir Arsalan talked very little after being released and did not open up about the details of the torture he had endured.
He had a strong interest in rap music and had even recorded a song. However, he was unable to perform the song’s final version after being abducted by the security forces.
The adverse consequences of detaining juveniles are highly concerning. Amir Arsalan is not the only protester who has resorted to suicide. For example, Arshia Emam-Qolizadeh, a 16-year-old teenager, also took his own life shortly after being released.
During the nationwide protests in 2022, one of the interrogators told one of the detained protesters, “We won’t kill you, but we’ll do something to you so that you will kill yourself.”
