US, rights groups denounce Iran over journalist's suicide

The US special envoy to Iran and international rights groups blamed Iranian authorities on Friday for the suicide of Iranian journalist and activist Kianoosh Sanjari, who faced repeated arrests and underwent years of abuse in custody.

Sanjari had posted on social media that he would take his own life if four prisoners—Fatemeh Sepehri, Nasreen Shakrami, Toomaj Salehi, and Arsham Rezaei—were not freed by 7pm local time on Wednesday.

Hours later, his death was confirmed by Iranian activists.

US special envoy to Iran Abram Paley described Sanjari’s death as a “tragic example of the regime’s repression,” citing his mistreatment at the hand of authorities.

“The regime repeatedly arrested and tortured Kianoosh for his work as a journalist,” Paley said in a post on X, adding, “We echo his call for the release of all political prisoners in Iran.”

Sanjari was imprisoned multiple times by Iranian authorities between 1999 and 2007, enduring solitary confinement and psychological abuse, including so-called white torture, or prolonged sensory deprivation.

After fleeing to Norway in 2007 with Amnesty International's help, he worked with human rights organizations and later became a journalist for Voice of America in Washington.

In 2016, Sanjari returned to Iran, where he was arrested again and sentenced to 11 years in prison. During this time, he suffered forced psychiatric hospitalization, electric shock treatments, and physical restraints, recounting how he was once injected with a substance that “locked [his] jaw” and left him chained to his bed.

Sanjari's death has drawn rebukes from international human rights organizations, each emphasizing the broader repression faced by journalists and activists in Iran.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) underscored the severe toll that years of state harassment took on Sanjari’s health. Jonathan Dagher, head of RSF’s Middle East desk, called Sanjari’s death “a tragedy that could have been avoided” and remembered him as “a dedicated journalist and a courageous human rights defender.”

In a statement on Friday, RSF demanded an “independent investigation into his death” and held Iranian authorities responsible for the pressures imposed on journalists, adding that this repression ultimately contributed to Sanjari’s death. RSF said that Iran is among the world’s most hostile countries for journalists, with 25 currently imprisoned and others facing constant threats of detention or violence.

Index on Censorship also expressed sorrow, describing Sanjari’s death as a profound loss and highlighting his commitment to human rights. “We are deeply saddened to learn that Iranian activist Kianoosh Sanjari has taken his own life in protest against the Iran regime and its unjust persecution of political prisoners,” the organization said in a post on X Friday, offering condolences to his family and friends.

Sanjari’s case has once again highlighted the risks faced by journalists and activists in Iran, where authorities continue to crack down on dissent.

Earlier on Friday, Iran’s security forces blocked access to Section 250 of Tehran’s Behesht-e Zahra Cemetery, preventing mourners from attending Sanjari’s burial, according to information obtained by Iran International.

Those attempting alternative routes were also turned away by security forces. At least two individuals, including activist Hossein Ronaghi and PhD student Milad Kakavand, were briefly detained as they tried to attend the burial.