Mohammad Mokhtari (protester)
Encyclopedia
Mohammad Mokhtari (September 10, 1989 - February 15, 2011) was an Iranian university student fatally wounded by a gunshot during the February 14 2011 protests
in Tehran in support of Egyptian and Tunisian revolutions. He died the next day, while hospitalized. Like Sane Jaleh
, the other protester at the demonstration who was killed, both pro- and anti-Iranian government sides claim him as a supporter.
Mohammad reportedly "came from a large middle class family, and loved sports". He was attending Azad University
in Shahrood
.
wrote that
In contrast, the American newspaper the Wall Street Journal reported that Mokhtari was one of the "rioters." Reporter Farnaz Fassihi — who spoke with "Mokhtari's family and friends" — wrote that Mokhtari enjoyed watching Voice of America
's anti-government satire television program Parazit
, and posted messages on Facebook
encouraging his friends to join the anti-government protests. She stated both he and Jaleh
, during a protest in the city of Shiraz yet another student demonstrator was killed, Hamed Nour-Mohammadi. According to anti-government activists, Nour-Mohammadi was "killed by security forces" while "trying to escape their attacks". Iranian state media quoted "Shiraz University Chancellor Mohammad Moazeni as saying that Nour-Mohammadi was killed in a car accident".
2011 Iranian protests
The 2011 Iranian protests are a series of demonstrations across Iran which began on 14 February 2011, called "The Day of Rage". The protests followed the 2009–2010 Iranian election protests and were influenced by other concurrent protests in the region...
in Tehran in support of Egyptian and Tunisian revolutions. He died the next day, while hospitalized. Like Sane Jaleh
Sane Jaleh
Sane Jaleh also Sanea Jaleh, Saneh Jaleh, or Sani Zhaleh was an Iranian student at the University of Arts. He was one of two students shot dead during the February 14, 2011 demonstrations in support of Egyptians and Tunisians for ousting Presidents Hosni Mubarak and Ben Ali, in Tehran, Iran...
, the other protester at the demonstration who was killed, both pro- and anti-Iranian government sides claim him as a supporter.
Mohammad reportedly "came from a large middle class family, and loved sports". He was attending Azad University
Islamic Azad University
Islamic Azad University is a private chain of universities in Iran.Headquartered in Tehran, Iran, the Islamic Azad University was founded in 1982 and currently has an enrollment of 1.5 million students, making it the world's third largest...
in Shahrood
Shahrood
Shahrud Situated about an altitude of 4413 ft , it is located at latitude 36°25'N, longitude 055°01'E. Now, it is the largest city of Semnan Province and also its county has same position in the province...
.
Killing and controversy
The Tehran TimesTehran Times
Tehran Times began its work in 1979 as a foreign language newspaper to air the voice of the Islamic Revolution. The policy that the newspaper has been following has been based on the guideline set by the revered martyr Ayatollah Mohammad Hossein Beheshti who said: Tehran Times is not state-owned...
wrote that
according to witnesses, Jalleh, Mokhtari, and two other people were shot by rioters during the unrest on Monday. Jalleh succumbed to his injuries on the same day, and Mokhtari died on Tuesday.
In contrast, the American newspaper the Wall Street Journal reported that Mokhtari was one of the "rioters." Reporter Farnaz Fassihi — who spoke with "Mokhtari's family and friends" — wrote that Mokhtari enjoyed watching Voice of America
Voice of America
Voice of America is the official external broadcast institution of the United States federal government. It is one of five civilian U.S. international broadcasters working under the umbrella of the Broadcasting Board of Governors . VOA provides a wide range of programming for broadcast on radio...
's anti-government satire television program Parazit
Parazit
Parazit is a weekly half-hour Persian-language satirical television show broadcast on Voice of America's Persian service. The show pokes fun at Iranian politics and culture. Kambiz Hosseini and Saman Arbabi, Iranian expatriates living in Washington, DC, started the show as a 10-minute segment in...
, and posted messages on Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
encouraging his friends to join the anti-government protests. She stated both he and Jaleh
were shot by men on motorcycles that their friends say bore the hallmarks of the Iranian paramilitary BasijBasijThe Basij is a paramilitary volunteer militia established in 1979 by order of the Islamic Revolution's leader Ayatollah Khomeini. The force consists of young Iranians who have volunteered, often in exchange for official benefits...
.
After Mr. Mokhtari was shot, he briefly fell to the ground but got up and continued marching for a while as blood soaked his shirt, witnesses said. He said he was fine, according to [a] friend, but died in the hospital the next day.
...three days before his death, Mr. Mokhtari wrote on his Facebook wall, "God, give me death by standing for it's better than a life of sitting under oppression."
Aftermath
On February 20 "thousands took to the streets of Iran's largest cities ... to commemorate the deaths" of the two protesters. According to Human Rights WatchHuman Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
, during a protest in the city of Shiraz yet another student demonstrator was killed, Hamed Nour-Mohammadi. According to anti-government activists, Nour-Mohammadi was "killed by security forces" while "trying to escape their attacks". Iranian state media quoted "Shiraz University Chancellor Mohammad Moazeni as saying that Nour-Mohammadi was killed in a car accident".
See also
- Sane JalehSane JalehSane Jaleh also Sanea Jaleh, Saneh Jaleh, or Sani Zhaleh was an Iranian student at the University of Arts. He was one of two students shot dead during the February 14, 2011 demonstrations in support of Egyptians and Tunisians for ousting Presidents Hosni Mubarak and Ben Ali, in Tehran, Iran...
- Neda Agha-Soltan
- Zahra KazemiZahra KazemiZahra "Ziba" Kazemi-Ahmadabadi was an Iranian-Canadian freelance photographer, residing in Montreal, Canada, who died in the custody of Iranian officials following her arrest....
- Zahra Bani YaghoubZahra Bani YaghoubZahra Bani Yaghoub was an Iranian medical doctor, who died unexpectedly in a prison in Hamedan, after she was arrested by the Moral Police...
- Sohrab Arabi
- 2011 Iranian protests2011 Iranian protestsThe 2011 Iranian protests are a series of demonstrations across Iran which began on 14 February 2011, called "The Day of Rage". The protests followed the 2009–2010 Iranian election protests and were influenced by other concurrent protests in the region...