Iranian President orders investigation into detainee's death

Shafaq News/ Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered an investigation into the death of a detainee in custody in the northern city of Lahijan, according to state media reports on Thursday.

Elyas Hazrati, the head of the Government Information Council, stated, "Following the tragic incident in Lahijan, the president has instructed the Minister of Interior to form a committee to investigate all aspects of the incident and to report the findings to the cabinet as soon as possible."

The Iranian judiciary's news agency, Mizan, reported that five police officers have been arrested in connection with the incident. However, the agency did not disclose the name of the deceased, the charges against him, or the timing of his death.

The Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, an Iranian rights group, identified the deceased as 36-year-old Mohammad Mir Mousavi. The organization claimed that Mousavi was arrested on August 24 after a confrontation and was tortured to death on the same day. This marks the seventh death of a detainee in custody since the beginning of the year, according to Hengaw, although Reuters could not independently verify this information.

Respecting citizens' rights, including those of women and minorities, was one of the campaign promises of Pezeshkian, who is considered relatively moderate and was elected president in July.

In 2022, the death of Kurdish Iranian woman Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the morality police sparked months of widespread protests across Iran, posing a significant challenge to the government. Amini had been detained for allegedly violating Iran's strict hijab rules.