Iranian Protester's Final Call to Sobbing Father Before Execution
A 21-year-old protester shared a heart-wrenching final conversation with his father before being executed by Iranian authorities.
Alireza Raisi, a 21-year-old Iranian protester, shared a final, tearful phone call with his father from inside an Isfahan prison moments before his execution. The conversation, captured in a recording, revealed the profound grief and helplessness of the father as his son was taken to the gallows.
Raisi was executed for participating in January protests against the regime. During their call, his father could be heard crying, "Forgive me! Forgive me. There is nothing I can do for you." Raisi, attempting to comfort his father, responded, "Dad, I’m proud of you in every way. I am always proud of you." His father reciprocated, "I’m proud of you, too."
Raisi also spoke of his cousin, Ramin Raisi, who was killed during a Jan. 9 protest in Isfahan’s Baharestand neighborhood. "Don’t cry, dad," Alireza Raisi said. "Give my regards to uncle as well. Tell him I’m keeping an eye on Ramin."
Alireza Raisi was hanged last week alongside Alireza Sepahi, 25, another protester who reportedly married his bride over the phone hours before his execution. Both men were among those accused of killing four members of Iran’s security forces during a protest in Isfahan’s Shahid Alikhani Square, a site where public executions have occurred. Human rights groups have decried the trials as unfair, alleging that confessions were extracted through severe torture.
Families of Raisi and Sepahi were reportedly prevented from burying their loved ones in their hometowns. Journalist Masih Alinejad criticized the proceedings, calling it a violation of human rights and urging an end to the execution of political prisoners. "This is what the Islamic Republic calls justice: 18 days of torture. Electric shocks. A forced confession. A trial lasting minutes. An appeal thrown out in less than 48 hours. A gallows built beside a Revolutionary Guard executioner," she wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "They think the rope will end the uprising. The rope is only creating more anger towards society."
The protests, which intensified on January 8 and 9, saw violent crackdowns by Iranian security forces, resulting in numerous fatalities.