Ali Saremi

Their life

Full Name: Ali Saremi (Persian: علی صارمی)
Date of Death: December 28, 2010
Age at Death: 63 years old
Place of Death: Evin Prison, Tehran, Iran
Cause of Death: Execution by hanging (judicial execution)
Religion: Muslim
Marital Status: Married, with at least one son
Nationality: Iranian

Full Name: Ali Saremi (Persian: علی صارمی)
Date of Death: December 28, 2010
Age at Death: 63 years old
Place of Death: Evin Prison, Tehran, Iran
Cause of Death: Execution by hanging (judicial execution)
Religion: Muslim
Marital Status: Married, with at least one son
Nationality: Iranian
Background and Political Imprisonment:
Ali Saremi was one of the longest-serving political prisoners in Iran, spending approximately 23 years in prison under both the Shah's regime and the Islamic Republic. He was known for his ideological sympathy with the People's Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI or MEK), an opposition group banned in Iran.

In 2007, Saremi was arrested after visiting his son at Camp Ashraf, a refugee camp in Iraq housing exiled MEK members. Although there was no evidence of him engaging in militant activities, he was convicted of:

"Moharebeh" (waging war against God)
"Propaganda against the Islamic system"
Alleged membership in the MEK
Execution and Legacy:
Ali Saremi was executed by hanging in Evin Prison on December 28, 2010, in a case that drew widespread international condemnation. His death highlighted Iran’s use of capital punishment to suppress political dissent and became a symbol of the regime’s human rights abuses.

Despite state repression, his memory continues to be honored by human rights organizations and Iranian dissident groups, who see him as a martyr for freedom and justice.

How they died

execution by hanging.

Immediate Cause of Death (Medical/Forensic Perspective):
Ali Saremi died by judicial hanging, a form of capital punishment used in Iran. The physiological cause of death was most likely:

Asphyxiation (lack of oxygen due to obstruction of the airway), or
Cervical spine dislocation or fracture (if a long-drop method was used), leading to instant death or paralysis followed by suffocation.
In Iran, hangings are typically conducted using the short-drop method, which causes slow death by strangulation, often accompanied by pain, prolonged suffering, and visible signs of trauma such as:

Neck bruising,
Tongue protrusion,
Petechiae in the eyes (tiny hemorrhages),
And potential internal bleeding.
Legal Cause of Death (Judiciary Rationale):
The Iranian judiciary sentenced Saremi to death under several controversial charges:

"Moharebeh" – an Islamic legal term meaning "waging war against God," commonly used against political dissidents.
"Propaganda against the Islamic system" – based on his support or ideological sympathy for the banned opposition group MEK.
Alleged membership in the MEK – although no evidence of militant activity was presented in court.
These charges were politically motivated, often applied arbitrarily to punish peaceful opposition.

Additional context

Moharebeh" (Waging war against God)

A plea from the family

Ali Saremi’s family members, particularly his wife and son, made heartfelt public appeals in the years leading up to his execution, pleading for justice and his release, and denouncing the charges as politically motivated and unfounded. 1. Public Appeals for Clemency: His family repeatedly appealed to Iranian authorities to stop the execution, emphasizing that Saremi was not involved in any violent or armed activity, and that he was being punished solely for visiting his son in Camp Ashraf. They urged the judiciary to show mercy, highlighting Saremi’s age, deteriorating health, and decades-long imprisonment.

Why we remember them

This record exists so that Ali Saremi, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources