Haleh Sahabi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Haleh Sahabi
هاله سحابی |
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| Born | 4 February 1958 |
| Died | 1 June 2011 (aged 53) |
| Nationality | Iranian |
| Political party | Nationalist-Religious |
| Spouse(s) | Taghi Shamekhi |
| Children | Yahya, Amene, Asie |
Haleh Sahabi (born February 4, 1958 – died June 1, 2011) was an important person from Iran. She worked to help people and supported democracy. This means she believed people should have a say in their government.
Haleh was the daughter of Ezzatollah Sahabi, a well-known politician. He was a member of parliament and often spoke out against the government. Her grandfather was Yadollah Sahabi. Haleh died at her father's funeral. The exact reason for her death is still debated.
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About Haleh Sahabi's Life
Haleh Sahabi was born in Tehran, Iran, on February 4, 1958. Her father was Ezatollah Sahabi, and her mother was Zarrindokht Ataei. Her great-uncle was Mehdi Bazargan, who was also a famous Iranian leader.
Haleh was married to Taghi Shamekhi. They had three children together. Their son's name is Yahya. Their daughters are named Amene and Asie.
Activism and Imprisonment
Haleh Sahabi was a strong supporter of women's rights. She was also part of a group called "Mothers for Peace." This group worked for peace and human rights.
In August 2009, Haleh was arrested. This happened during the swearing-in ceremony for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was the President of Iran at the time. She was arrested with other people who were protesting.
She was later sentenced to two years in prison. The government said she was "spreading propaganda against the regime." They also said she was "disrupting public order." In May 2011, she was allowed to leave prison for a short time. This was so she could attend her father's funeral.
Disputed Death at Father's Funeral
Haleh Sahabi's father, Ezattollah Sahabi, passed away. During his funeral, something upsetting happened. Reports say Haleh got into an argument with members of the Basij militia. This group is a volunteer force in Iran.
Her son, Yahya Shamekhi, shared what he saw. He said officials tried to stop the funeral ceremony. This made everyone very upset. He explained that they "forcefully grabbed the body and took it away." After this, his mother fell down and became unconscious. Doctors later said she died from a heart attack.
Other people who were there also said Haleh was hit by security forces. These eyewitnesses included Ahmad Montazeri and Hamed Montazeri. Hamed Montazeri said he saw a force member hit Ms. Sahabi on her upper body. He said she fainted right after the hit.
Some people thought her death might be from injuries. They wondered if she had internal bleeding. A person claiming to be a surgeon said she was very pale. This person thought she might have had a severe injury to her spleen. However, Haleh's family later said no doctor was involved at the clinic.
Mark Toner, a spokesman for the US State Department, spoke about her death. He said that reliable reports showed she died because of "reprehensible actions" by Iranian security forces.
The Iranian government, however, said Haleh died of natural causes. They said there were no clashes at the funeral. An official stated she died from heart problems. He blamed "stress and hot weather." But reports showed the temperature was not very hot that morning. Iranian state media also said she died of "heart problems." They denied any clashes. However, the state news agency IRNA did report that five people were arrested for trying to disrupt order.
Many groups called for an investigation. The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran called it a "tragedy." They asked the Iranian Judiciary to investigate. The governments of the US and UK also asked for an investigation. Amnesty International had called Haleh a prisoner of conscience. They demanded a full investigation into her death.
Haleh Sahabi's Burial
Haleh Sahabi was buried in a small cemetery near Lavasan. This happened on the same evening she died. The authorities took her body right after her death. They made her family attend the burial at night.
It seems no autopsy was done to find out the cause of death. Only a few family members and friends were there. Shirin Ebadi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, spoke about this. She called it "corpse stealing" by the government.
Commemoration Ceremony
Three days after Haleh Sahabi's death, a ceremony was planned. On June 4, 2011, hundreds of protesters tried to gather. They wanted to meet silently outside the Hosseiniyeh Ershad mosque in Tehran. This mosque is a common place for reformists.
But many security forces were there. They stopped people from reaching the mosque. The forces used batons and fired shots into the air. They also arrested several people.
Hoda Saber's Hunger Strike
On June 2, 2011, a man named Hoda Saber started a hunger strike. He stopped eating and drinking. He did this to protest the events that led to Haleh Sahabi's death. He also protested the government's actions against protesters.
Hoda Saber was in Evin Prison at the time. Some people who were with him said he complained of chest pain. They said he was in pain for six hours. But prison staff did not pay attention to him.
Saber died of a heart attack on June 10, 2011. He was 52 years old. He was taken to a hospital for surgery. But the hunger strike had damaged his heart. His wife, Farideh Jamshidi, said she didn't know he had died until two days later. She demanded that the hospital give her his body. An autopsy was reportedly done.
See also
- Human rights in Iran
- Hoda Saber
