Yalda Aghafazli, a blossom from the Unyielding Spirit of Iranian Women's Struggle

NCRI Women's Committee

December 22 marks the birthday of Yalda Aghafazli, a young resistant woman, who lost her life during the protests in 2022. She’s called by her fellow compatriots, “the convict who did not express remorse.”
She was named Yalda because she was born on the longest night of the year in 2002. In Iranian culture, the Winter Solstice is referred to as Yalda, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness and celebrated accordingly.
Yalda Aghafazli was a defiant young woman striving for freedoms withheld by the theocratic regime. She actively participated in the protests that commenced in September 2022 following the tragic murder of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the moral police.
Unfortunately, Yalda was arrested on October 26, just a little over a month into the uprising. The 19-year-old protester spent four days in Evin Prison before being transferred to the notorious Qarchak Prison, where she remained detained for another 11 days.
In a call from Qarchak Prison, she mentioned that one couldn't fathom the extent of the beatings she endured in prison to coerce confessions against her will.
Upon her release on bail on November 9, Yalda felt relieved that news of her arrest had gained widespread attention, and she expressed deep gratitude to everyone for their support.
Tragically, two days later, on November 11, reports surfaced stating that she had died. Initially, it was claimed that she had thrown herself from a rooftop, but state media later alleged that she died from a crack overdose.
Yalda Aghafazli is among many protesters who died under suspicious circumstances after their release from prison. These deaths have raised significant concerns and questions about the treatment these individuals faced while detained.
There are widespread rumors that prison authorities administer lethal injections to resistant prisoners before releasing them, leading to their deaths outside prison walls. This method allows them to evade responsibility for the protester's death while instilling fear in the public and deterring others from participating in anti-regime protests.