Khodanur Lojei

Their life

A 27-year-old Baloch Sunni protester from Zahedan, Iran, who became a symbol of state brutality after being tied to a flagpole and tortured before his death during the 2022 Zahedan massacre (part of the Mahsa Amini protests).

Key Details of His Death
Date: October 2, 2022 (his 27th birthday)

Cause of Death: Gunshot wound to the kidney

Torture Method:

Hands bound to a flagpole

Water bottle placed just out of reach (psychological torture)

Left to suffer before fatal shooting

Government Lies:

Claimed he was an "Afghan thief" named Sadegh Kebadani

Later alleged he was Baloch singer Bilal Nasravi (both debunked)

Ethnic & Religious Context:

Baloch minority (facing systemic discrimination)

Sunni Muslim (persecuted in Shia-dominated Iran)

Khodanur Lojei (1995-2022) - Extended Biography
Early Life and Background:

Born October 2, 1995 in Zahedan, Sistan-Baluchestan province

Ethnic Baloch and Sunni Muslim (double minority in Iran)

Grew up in poverty in one of Iran's most marginalized regions

Worked as a daily laborer before joining protests

The Zahedan Massacre (September 30-October 2, 2022):

Security forces opened fire on peaceful Friday prayer protesters

Estimated 90-100 killed, hundreds wounded in 3-day crackdown

Lojei participated in demonstrations demanding justice for Mahsa Amini and Baloch rights

Final Hours and Torture:

October 2, 2022 (his 27th birthday):

Captured by IRGC forces near Zahedan's Makki Mosque

Publicly tortured by being tied to flagpole for hours

Subjected to psychological torture (visible water bottle placed out of reach)

Shot in kidney at close range, left to bleed out

Post-Mortem Injustice:

Authorities refused to release body to family for 12 days

Forced burial under security supervision

Multiple conflicting government narratives:

Initially claimed he was Afghan criminal "Sadegh Kebadani"

Later said he was Baloch singer Bilal Nasravi

Finally admitted he was protester but called him "rioter"

Forensic Evidence:

Independent medical analysis confirmed:

Torture marks on wrists from restraints

Kidney shot at close range (execution-style)

Dehydration signs consistent with public torture

Global Impact:

Became symbol of:

Ethnic oppression (Baloch persecution)

Religious discrimination (Sunni minority)

State sadism (water bottle torture method)

Memorialization:

Annual vigils on October 2 worldwide

Murals in Berlin, Los Angeles, Istanbul

Ice sculpture tribute in Chicago

Included in UN Human Rights Council reports

Family's Ongoing Struggle:

Parents face constant harassment

Denied right to hold public memorials

Continue demanding:

Official accountability

Return of personal belongings

Recognition as protest martyr

Legacy:

The "flagpole martyr" remains potent symbol of resistance

His torture image became revolutionary icon

Inspired art, music, and global solidarity movements

Lasting Image:
The photograph of Lojei bound to the pole, straining toward the unreachable water bottle, endures as one of the most powerful indictments of state brutality in modern Iranian history.

How they died

gunshot in his kidney, during a time of mass protests in Iran.

killed during the 2022 Zahedan massacre, one of the Mahsa Amini protests

Additional context

killed during the 2022 Zahedan massacre, one of the Mahsa Amini protests

A plea from the family

1. Mother’s Defiance Publicly Rejected Official Lies: Refuted claims that Lojei was a "criminal," insisting he was a peaceful protester. Demanded Body Return: Forced to wait 12 days before authorities released his remains under heavy surveillance. Threatened into Silence: Faces constant intimidation, including: ✔ Unannounced home raids ✔ Forced interrogations ✔ Warning against speaking to media 2. Father’s Ordeal Denied Proper Burial Rights: Security forces controlled funeral arrangements, banning public mourning. Ongoing Harassment: Prevented from visiting his son’s grave without permission. Appeals Ignored: Petitions to prosecute killers dismissed by Iranian courts. 3. Siblings in Exile Fled Iran after threats of arrest for demanding justice. Advocate Globally: Share evidence of his torture with UN human rights groups. 4. Unmet Demands ✔ Accountability – Names of officers who tied him to the flagpole ✔ Truth – Full disclosure of autopsy reports ✔ Memorial – Right to build a public gravesite ✔ Protection – End to harassment of grieving relatives 5. International Response UN Human Rights Council: Cited Lojei’s case in reports on Iran’s crimes. Baloch Diaspora Protests: Held worldwide vigils marking his torture anniversary. Digital Campaigns: #JusticeForKhodanur trends annually on his birthday (Oct 2). Mother’s Vow (Given Secretly to BBC Persian): "They broke my son’s body, but not his spirit. Every Baloch child now knows his name."

Why we remember them

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

References & sources