Mehran Rajabi

Mehran Rajabi (xx xx, xxxx – October 9, 2022)

On October 9, 2022 , at the height of Iran’s nationwide protests, Lakan Prison became the scene of one of the deadliest and least documented incidents of that period. According to families, eyewitness accounts, and several human rights organizations, prisoners protesting inside the prison were met with armed force, and a number of inmates lost their lives.
At that time, Lakan Prison in Rasht was reportedly overcrowded with detainees arrested during the nationwide protests. Reports described severe overcrowding, poor conditions, and violent treatment of prisoners — especially young protesters and minors who had recently been detained. These conditions, combined with solidarity among ordinary inmates toward the protest detainees, are believed to have contributed to unrest inside the prison.
On the morning of October 9, security forces and special riot units were reportedly deployed around the prison as tensions escalated. Hours later, protests inside several wards intensified and clashes broke out. In accounts later shared by families and human rights sources, armed forces entered the prison compound and gunfire followed.
Among the reported victims was Mehran Rajabi, a man described as being from Rasht. Very little verified public information about his personal life has ever been released. His age, date of birth, reason for imprisonment, burial place, and the exact circumstances of his death remain unclear. The limited reports available state only that he died during the events inside Lakan Prison that night.
Mehran Rajabi’s name appeared alongside other reported victims of the incident, including Milan Derakhshan, a young man from the Rasht area; Meysam Padidar, a worker from Rasht; Mehrgan Zahmatkesh, who according to reports was struck by multiple bullets; as well as Aref Ashouri, Mehrzad Behrouzi, Morteza Shabani, Mostafa Yeganeh, and Mohammad Saeed Anoosheh-Nia.
Some human rights groups estimated that at least 12 prisoners were killed, although not all names were publicly confirmed, and the exact death toll remains disputed.
In the aftermath, many families reportedly gathered outside the prison and forensic centers searching for information about their loved ones. Human rights reports also described pressure placed on families, restrictions on mourning ceremonies, and attempts to prevent the publication of victims’ photographs and stories. Much about what happened that night, however, remains unclear.
Iranian judicial authorities presented a different account, describing the incident as the result of “conflicts among prisoners” and a prison fire. To this day, no fully transparent or independent official investigation has publicly clarified the full circumstances surrounding the deaths inside Lakan Prison. For many Iranians and families seeking justice, the names of Mehran Rajabi and the other victims remain tied to the painful memory of violence and repression during the 2022 protests in Iran.