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Dies after torture in Iran. His brother remembers him on social media

2023-01-02T16:05:45.376Z


He had been in a coma for 20 days. He had studied in Italy. Artist 'draws' him like Zaki. (HANDLE)


Died after torture, brother remembers him with a video.

In the mounted moments of the young man's daily life 


"Baradaram", "my brother", with a withered rose beside it.

Two words in Italian, only one in Persian, are those chosen by Mehdi Zare Ashkzari's brother to commemorate with a video the young man in his early thirties who died in Iran after twenty days in a coma, following the torture suffered in the prison where he had been arrested for taking part in the protests that have been agitating the country for months.

In the edited images that portray Mehdi in moments of daily life follow one another: sunglasses, sweatshirt and cap on his head, youth and the will to live in his eyes.

In a short passage that seems to come from social media, Ashkzari is seen singing in the car, smiling, together with another young man, presumably the same brother.

Then there are photographs of the young man riding a horse,

at McDonald's and finally with a lady who is probably his mother.

That mother to whom Mehdi was deeply attached and who, as soon as he learned that she had fallen ill, in 2021, she had reached returning to Iran from Bologna.

In the Emilian capital, which mourns him today, Mehdi had studied Pharmacy working in a pizzeria in the university area.

In the background of his brother's video, a Persian song with melancholic notes.

Artist remembers him in a drawing like Zaki.

The portrait created by Gianluca Costantini 


A drawing with the face of Mehdi Zare Ashkzari, the young man in his early thirties who died in Iran after twenty days in a coma following the torture he suffered after his arrest for taking part in the protests, was drawn by cartoonist Gianluca Costantini, author of the now famous drawing portraying Patrick Zaki, made in support of the battle for his liberation and exhibited in many public spaces in Bologna and in the rest of the world.

Costantini's new drawing was published this morning by the artist on his social profiles.

Death after 20 days in a coma


A young man in his early thirties died in Iran after twenty days in a coma as a result of torture.

He had been arrested, beaten and then released precisely for fear that he would die in the cell.

His name was Mehdi Zare Ashkzari and what makes his chilling end even more 'felt' in Italy is the link with Bologna and with his university in particular, where Mehdi had studied pharmacy before returning home two years ago.

And it is Amnesty International Italy to disseminate the first information on the case.

Then the message from Patrick Zaki who, with the disappearance of the thirty-year-old Iranian, underlines how the University of Bologna "now has a new victim of freedom of expression".

Disarming words those of the Egyptian student who remained in prison in his homeland for two years for crimes of opinion, when he comments: "Unfortunately,

this time, it was too late to save him". However, it is the flood of reactions, testimonies and affection of those who knew him and had shared his university years with Mahdi that makes the Italian city the sounding board of this latest shocking case from Iran. Mehdi Zare Ashkzari "was one of us", Sanam Naderi, an Iranian who lives in Bologna, told ANSA, "he was very well known, many students came to him, ate pizza where he worked.

He was always smiling."

he was one of us", Sanam Naderi, an Iranian who lives in Bologna, told ANSA, "he was very well known, many students came to him, ate pizza where he worked.

He was always smiling."

he was one of us", Sanam Naderi, an Iranian who lives in Bologna, told ANSA, "he was very well known, many students came to him, ate pizza where he worked.

He was always smiling."

Mehdi had enrolled in university in 2015 and for a time he had worked as a delivery boy, to support his studies, then as an assistant cook in a pizzeria.

Two years ago he returned to Iran to be close to his mother who was ill, then the mother died, as told by another friend of his, Ali Jenaban: "The last time I heard him he was happy, he said to me 'with family let's go on". He too took part in the demonstrations for freedom, to find what we all want".

"We only heard the news of his death last night because the family members hadn't said anything so as not to have problems with the funeral, otherwise the regime will not release the body", says Sanam.

"Tomorrow they will bury you next to your mother's grave and you will find peace there,

"We welcome the news with dismay, pain, indignation and we express our condolences to the family and our solidarity with all Iranian women and men and women who, even in universities, are struggling and suffering for the values ​​that are most dear to us", he commented the rector of Bologna, Giovanni Molari.

"The university and the city of Bologna will continue to ask for justice and the intervention of the institutions", echoed Professor Rita Monticelli, coordinator of the Master Gemma attended by Patrick Zaki and delegate of the mayor for human rights and interreligious dialogue and intercultural, speaking at the peace march in the city.

And from the stage of the march, the deputy mayor of Bologna, Emily Clancy, launches a message of solidarity: "

From Bologna we send a very strong thought to the family of Mehdi Zare Ashkzari.

To all those fighting for the freedom of women and men in Iran.

We send a strong embrace of brotherhood and sisterhood to the Iranian community".

The eyes of the world thus remain focused on the ferocious Iranian repression also with the beginning of this new year, and precisely following the celebrations during the night, some former and current football players of a well-known team were arrested in Damavand, near the Iranian capital Tehran, for attending a New Year's party with men and women and consuming alcohol.

The Iranian agency Tasnim writes it.

The latest updates show that the state of detention for sportsmen did not last long, and they were released shortly after.

However, the episode underlines the fact that since the Islamic Revolution of 1979 in Iran it has been forbidden to participate in mixed parties, with men and women, and to drink alcohol.

Meanwhile, dissident journalist Keyvan Samimi was also released, who had been in prison since December 2020 accused of "

Source: ansa

All life articles on 2023-01-02

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