Majidreza Rahnavard

Their life

Full Name: Majidreza Rahnavard
Date of Birth: June 16, 1999
Date of Death: December 12, 2022
Age at Death: 23 years

Biography Summary
Majidreza Rahnavard was a young Iranian man whose name became associated with the Mahsa Amini protests that erupted across Iran in 2022. Rahnavard was involved in a fatal incident during the protests on November 17, 2022, in the city of Mashhad, where he was accused of fatally stabbing two Basij militia members who had been deployed to quell the protests. Following this event, Rahnavard was arrested, tried, and convicted by the Iranian judicial system on charges of moharebeh (waging war against God), a capital offense in Iran. Despite international outcry over the fairness of his trial, which was conducted behind closed doors, Rahnavard was sentenced to death and executed on December 12, 2022, by public hanging. His execution was carried out just four days after another individual, Mohsen Shekari, was executed under similar charges. Rahnavard’s death was framed by the Iranian government as a part of their effort to suppress the ongoing protests and to send a message to others who may be involved in resistance.

Majidreza Rahnavard was born on June 16, 1999, and lived through the rising political and social tensions in Iran. His life intersected with the nationwide protests following the tragic death of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish Iranian woman who died in police custody after being detained for allegedly violating the country's strict hijab law. The death of Amini sparked widespread protests across Iran, with people demanding greater freedoms and reforms to the political system. Many protesters, especially from younger generations, began to challenge the government’s authoritarian rule, and this resistance was met with violent repression.

On November 17, 2022, Rahnavard was accused of fatally stabbing two members of the Basij militia, a paramilitary force loyal to the Islamic regime, during the protests in Mashhad. The Basij forces had been deployed across Iranian cities to suppress protests and dissent, often using violent tactics against protesters. According to Iranian state media, Rahnavard pursued one of the men on foot after an altercation, stabbing him before fleeing the scene. A third individual was allegedly attacked, though the footage of the incident was inconclusive. Rahnavard allegedly also injured four others while fleeing.

Two days after the attack, Rahnavard was arrested by Iranian security forces. The trial, conducted by the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Mashhad, was held behind closed doors and lacked the transparency and due process required for a fair trial. Rahnavard’s lawyer, who was not allowed to represent him in the trial, claimed that he was tortured into confessing to the crime. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, denounced the trial as a violation of international law, as it was marked by forced confessions, the absence of legal counsel, and the use of fabricated evidence. Despite the severe allegations against the judicial process, Rahnavard was convicted of moharebeh and sentenced to death.

On December 8, 2022, just days after the execution of Mohsen Shekari, Iranian authorities announced Rahnavard’s execution. The regime, led by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had made it clear that it was willing to carry out executions to curb the protests and instill fear among the population. Rahnavard’s execution was carried out publicly on December 12, 2022, as a chilling message from the regime to others involved in the protests. His execution was one of the first public executions of a protester, making it a highly symbolic act for the government. His body was hung from a crane in Mashhad, and photographs of the event were released to the public by the Iranian judiciary. He was 23 years old at the time of his death.

In the aftermath of his execution, Rahnavard’s family condemned the injustice of his death. His father, in particular, refused to accept condolences, instead calling his son a martyr who had died for the cause of Iranian democracy. He voiced his frustration with the Iranian government’s treatment of his son and rejected the charges that led to his death. He saw Rahnavard’s actions as an expression of resistance against an oppressive regime rather than as an act of violence.

Majidreza Rahnavard’s case garnered international attention and criticism, with many human rights groups and foreign governments condemning the Iranian regime’s actions. Rahnavard’s execution is viewed by many as part of the larger pattern of state-sponsored repression against the ongoing protests in Iran. His death is a tragic reminder of the high stakes for those who stand up to oppressive regimes in pursuit of justice and freedom.

How they died

Execution by hanging

Majidreza Rahnavard was executed by public hanging on December 12, 2022, in Mashhad, Iran. His death was a direct result of the Iranian government's crackdown on the widespread protests that erupted following the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who died after being detained by the Iranian morality police for allegedly violating the country’s strict hijab laws.

Rahnavard was accused of fatally stabbing two members of the Basij militia, a paramilitary group loyal to the Iranian regime, during the protests in Mashhad on November 17, 2022. The Basij forces had been deployed across Iranian cities to suppress the protests, using violent tactics to quash dissent. Rahnavard allegedly attacked the militia members after they had been involved in the repression of protesters. According to Iranian authorities, he chased and stabbed the two men, and during his flight, he allegedly injured four others, although the footage provided by state-run media did not fully corroborate these claims.

Additional context

Moharebeh ("waging war against God")

A plea from the family

The surviving relatives of Majidreza Rahnavard, particularly his family, have been devastated by his execution and the circumstances surrounding it. His father condemned the execution as unjust and maintained that his son had been wrongfully convicted. He expressed deep sorrow over the loss of his son, highlighting that Majidreza had not received a fair trial and had been subjected to torture. Rahnavard's family, including his parents, rejected the allegations that he had been involved in the killings, arguing that the charges were fabricated. Moreover, his father publicly stated that he did not accept condolences for his son's death, but instead, he referred to him as a martyr who had been executed for his political beliefs. His family called for justice and accountability, challenging the Iranian authorities over the manner in which the trial was conducted and the lack of due process. They demanded that the truth about his case be made known to the world, emphasizing the unfair treatment and legal violations during the trial process. The grief-stricken family expressed their sorrow at the loss of a young life, taken too soon under circumstances they believed were politically motivated. Their pleas focused on raising awareness of the injustice and calling for the international community to stand in solidarity with the victims of the Iranian government's oppression.

Why we remember them

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

References & sources