Reza Rasaei

Reza Rasaei was a Kurdish activist from Kermanshah Province, Iran. He took part in the nationwide protests that began after the death of Mahsa (Jîna) Amini in 2022, which were led by the Kurdish slogan “Jin, Jiyan, Azadî” (“Women, Life, Freedom”). Reza joined many others in peacefully calling for justice and an end to the regime’s violence.

In December 2022, Iranian authorities arrested him for allegedly being involved in the killing of a Basij (paramilitary) member during a protest. His family and rights organisations strongly denied the accusation, explaining that Reza was targeted simply because he was Kurdish and had joined demonstrations.

During his detention, he was reportedly tortured and forced to confess to crimes he didn’t commit. Amnesty International and the Iran Human Rights Organisation said his trial was held in secret, without proper legal defence or access to his lawyer. Despite international pressure, Reza was executed on 6 August 2024 in Dizelabad Prison, Kermanshah.

Reza’s case shows the brutal way Iran’s regime targets Kurdish protesters and treats activism as a crime. Like many others, he was punished for speaking out against injustice and demanding basic rights. His execution sparked outrage among Kurdish communities and human-rights groups, who now remember him as a symbol of courage, resistance, and the cost of telling the truth under oppression.

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