On the anniversary of the death of Mohsen Gheysari, one of the victims of the Jin, Jiyan, Azadi (Woman, Life, Freedom) uprising in Ilam, Ilam Province, at least four civilians, Mohammad Hossein Gheysari (Mohsen’s brother), Ali Shirkhani, Mahmoud Sadeghi, and his daughter Hedi Sadeghi, were beaten and arrested by security forces following a memorial service in Ilam on 21 September.

Mohammad Hossein Gheysari and Mahmoud Sadeghi were released a few hours later, but the fate of Hedi Sadeghi and Ali Shirkhani remains unknown.

A source who spoke to the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) said that on 21 September, Mohsen Gheysari’s family held a commemoration ceremony attended by a large crowd at the Nabi Mosque in the Hanivan neighbourhood of Ilam.

After the ceremony concluded, some of the participants spontaneously headed towards Mohsen Gheysari’s grave in the Mohammadieh cemetery in the city.

According to the source, security forces attacked civilians in the Mohammadieh cemetery and arrested at least four of them, Mohammad Hossein Gheysari, Ali Shirkhani, Mahmoud Sadeghi, and his daughter Hedi Sadeghi.

In recent weeks, coinciding with the anniversary of the deaths of Jina Mahsa Amini and other victims of the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising, the security authorities have been summoning and intimidating the families, preventing them from holding any memorial ceremonies for the deceased.

Mohsen Gheysari, a 25-year-old resident of Ilam, was killed by gunfire from Iranian military and security forces during the anti-government protests in the city on 21 September 2022.