Hundreds of people rallied in France on Sunday to pay tribute to an Iranian Kurdish man who took his own life in a desperate act of anguish over protests in Iran.
French police estimated that some 1,000 people gathered in honor of Mohammad Moradi. They marched in the city of Lyon, where Moradi, 38, took his life in December by drowning in the Rhone River.
In videos in Farsi and French recorded before his death, Moradi criticized Iranian leaders and called for Western governments’ solidarity against them. In the recordings he appeared saying: “When they see this video, I will be dead.”
Protesters marched on Sunday carrying signs reading “Stop executions in Iran” and other phrases. Some traveled from other parts of France.
Hundreds of protesters also gathered in Rome and London in support of the Iranian protest movement.
Moradi arrived in France in 2019 with his wife and was studying for a doctorate in History. His death resonated with the Iranian diaspora.
“Mohammad took his life with incredible courage,” said Lili Mohadjer, one of the organizers of the Lyon march, addressing the crowd. “His hope for her was that the Western media and governments would continue to support the Iranian people.”
Protests in Iran began in mid-September over the death of Mahsa Amini. The 22-year-old died after being detained by Iranian morality police for allegedly violating the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code.
Women have played a leading role in the protests, with many publicly removing the mandatory Islamic headscarf, known as the hijab.