Mehdi Salmanzadeh

Mehdi Salmanzadeh (October 17, 2007 - December 26, 2019)

Mehdi Salmanzadeh, a 14-year-old teenager, was beaten on December 26, 2019, while attending the 40th-day memorial ceremony of Pouya Bakhtiari at Behesht-e Sakineh cemetery in Karaj. A few days later, he died under suspicious circumstances — a death that his family and relatives believe was not an accident, but a premeditated killing.
His father, Reza Salmanzadeh, who pursued justice after the incident, faced security pressures due to his efforts and was ultimately sentenced to three years and eight months in prison. According to the verdict issued by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, he was sentenced to one year in prison for “propaganda against the regime” and two years and eight months for “membership in illegal groups.” If upheld, most of this sentence will be enforced.
Reza Salmanzadeh was arrested in May 2022 after security forces raided his home and transferred him to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. During the arrest, officers searched his house and confiscated his personal belongings. Prior to this, he had published videos stating that he would not abandon seeking justice for his son and was not afraid of threats.
Mehdi was an intelligent, sensitive, and courageous student. The experience of his father's violent arrest in earlier years had exposed him to the concept of injustice at a young age. This led him to actively participate in the November 2019 protests and react strongly to the killing of protesters, especially those his own age. He had often spoken about the painful question of why children like himself should fall victim to violence.
On December 26, Mehdi went with his father to Behesht-e Sakineh to attend the memorial ceremony for those killed in the November protests. There, security forces violently attacked the gathering. Mehdi was filming the events when one of the officers confronted him and broke his mobile phone.
Two days later, while Mehdi was resting at home due to the effects of tear gas exposure, he died under suspicious circumstances in his room during the absence of his family members. When his mother returned, she found his lifeless body in an unusual condition. Initial evidence — including signs of struggle, injuries, and the position of the body — all indicated that a قتل (killing) had occurred, a matter that was even unofficially acknowledged in the police’s preliminary assessments.
However, the investigation process came to a questionable halt. Necessary examinations were not carried out, evidence was not properly pursued, and no suspect was identified. Ultimately, judicial authorities declared the cause of death as “suicide” and closed the case — a decision that was strongly protested by the family but never led to any result.
Following the incident, pressure on the family increased. Even during the burial, the family was not allowed to view the body, and the ceremony was held under strict security supervision. Mehdi’s Instagram page also became inaccessible after his death.
In recent years, justice-seeking families, including the Salmanzadeh family, have faced a wave of arrests and security pressures. Despite imprisonment, illness, and ongoing pressure, Reza Salmanzadeh continues to insist on seeking justice.
Mehdi’s death was not only the end of a young life but the beginning of the collapse of a family. His mother suffered severe psychological trauma and struggled with its consequences for years. His father distanced himself from his life and work, dedicating all his energy to pursuing a case that never reached a conclusion. A family that was once four members strong, in their own words, became “four people alive, but internally shattered.”