Milad Abdi’s life took a fateful turn eight months ago as he was abducted by agents of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) Intelligence Organization and taken into custody where he was subjected to brutal beating, electric shock and “mock execution.”
Abdi’s ordeal began during a student protest in Tehran on November 3 when he approached Ardeshir Entezari, the president of Tehran’s Allameh Tabatabai University, to voice grievances about the discrimination he faced due to his Kurdish ethnicity, as well as his ordinary and Sunni background.
During a brief encounter, Entezari responded to Abdi’s complaints by warning him that he should expect to be kidnapped, "perhaps in a sack."
The next day, security guards prevented the young man from entering the university. And on November 7, two armed motorcyclists pursued him near the student dormitory, arrested him and blindfolded him before forcing him into a car.
There, Abdi was brutally beaten with batons and subjected to electric shocks, after which he suffered a torn eardrum.
Abdi was subsequently held in solitary confinement at an IRGC "safe house" for eight days. During his incarceration, he launched a hunger strike to protest his cruel treatment which included being subjected to "mock execution.”
Throughout his solitary confinement, he underwent as many as 17 interrogations lasting more than five hours each for the alleged crimes of participating in a sit-in, singing the national anthem and confronting the university president.
Abdi’s only interaction with his family was a 37-second phone call with her mother.
He was ultimately transferred to Tehran’s notorious Evin prison.
On January 11, Judge Abulqasem Salavati sentenced the young man to six years in prison, although the term was reduced to two years on appeal.
During the trial, which lasted 10 minutes, Abdi was denied legal representation and the opportunity to defend himself.
He was released from prison in February as part of an "amnesty" declared for political prisoners and protesters.
Abdi’s Suffering Didn’t End with His Release
Persistent threats from unknown sources, directed not only at him but also his family, took a severe toll on Abdi’s mental well-being.
Weary from the physical, mental and emotional wounds inflicted upon him, he made the difficult decision to leave Iran and seek refuge in Turkey.
Life there is far from easy as Abdi struggles to find proper shelter and sustenance while working night shifts to barely make ends meet.
Abdi's story is emblematic of the persecution that countless individuals are facing under oppressive regimes.
But despite the darkness that has clouded his dreams, Abdi remains resilient and hopeful.
He aspires to return to his homeland, resume his studies, and revive his ambition to make a career in sports.
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