World Cup celebrations in Iran were marred by heinous and brutal acts by security forces. An Iranian man was shot dead by security forces after the national team lost to the US and exited the World Cup
Anti-government demonstrations took place inside and outside the stadium in Qatar and across Iran secrurity forces took matters into their own hands.
According to human rights activists reported by The Guardian, Mehran Samak, 27, was shot dead after honking his car in Bandar Anzali, a city on the Caspian Sea coast, north-west of Tehran.
Samak was shot in the head by security forces following the defeat of the national team against America”, said the Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights (IHR).
The two countries that share severed diplomatic ties for more than 40 clashed in the group stage of the World Cup in Qatar. The game took place against the backdrop of violent repression in Iran after protests triggered by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, in September have gripped the nation.
Security forces in Iran have killed at least 448 people in the crackdown on protests. Protests against the regime has resulted in the death of close to 60 children under the age of 18 and 29 women, according to IHR.
Iranian international midfielder Saeid Ezatolahi, who played in the US match and is from Bandar Anzali, revealed that he knew Samak and posted a picture of them together in a youth football team.
“After last night’s bitter loss, the news of your passing set fire to my heart,” said Ezatolahi on Instagram, describing Samak as a “childhood teammate”.
He did not comment on the circumstances of his friend’s death but said: “Some day the masks will fall, the truth will be laid bare.”
Screegrab of Saeid Ezatolahi's tribute post |
His account has since then been taken down, in what appears to be a threat by the reigning regime. The CNN reported on Tueday that players were threatened with their life if they continued to misbehave during the World Cup,in reference to the players refusing to sing the national anthem during Iran's opening game of the World Cup against England.
