Iranian Family Cancels Ceremony Marking Anniversary of Protester’s Death

The family of Yalda Aghafazli, a young protester who died shortly after her release from prison, has canceled a ceremony planned on the first anniversary of her death, under apparent pressure from the security apparatus of the Islamic Republic. 

The message "No ceremony for Yalda Aghafazli's anniversary" was posted on the family's Instagram page late on November 9, two days before the anniversary.

Earlier, Mehrdad Aghafazli, Yalda's father, announced that a remembrance ceremony would be held for the 19-year-old artist in Tehran’s Behesht Zahra cemetery on November 11. 

Yalda was arrested on October 26 last year for participating in nationwide protests sparked by the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini. 

In Qarchak prison, Tehran province, she went on a hunger strike before being released on November 6. Five days later, she died under mysterious circumstances and was buried under strict security measures in Behesht Zahra cemetery. 

More than 500 people were killed by security forces and over 20,000 were unlawfully detained during the unrest that rocked Iran for months.

Following biased trials, the judiciary has handed down stiff sentences, including the death penalty, to protesters. Seven of them have been executed so far.

The security agencies of the Islamic Republic have exerted pressure on the victims' families through collective arrests and the summoning of grieving families by security agencies.

As a result, many families have canceled remembrance ceremonies for their loved ones. 

In August, Amnesty International said the authorities had escalated their campaign of harassment and intimidation against the families of the victims in an attempt to “cover up their crimes.”