The U.S. State Department expressed disgust over reports that RFE/RL journalist Reza Haghighatnejad’s body has been seized by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and called on Iranian authorities to immediately release Reza’s remains to his family.
“We are disgusted by reports that the IRGC seized Reza's remains as they were repatriated to Iran for burial in his hometown of Shiraz,” a State Department spokesperson said in a statement on October 27 released to RFE/RL's Radio Farda, where Haghighatnejad worked from 2019 until his death.
The seizure of Haghighatnejad's body "underscores the degree to which Iran's leadership fears journalists who expose its wrongdoings, even after their death,” the spokesperson said.
“By all accounts, he was a brilliant journalist dedicated to the freedom of speech and uncovering the truth,” the spokesperson said, adding: "We call on Iranian authorities to immediately release Reza's remains to his family and to cease its cruel intimidation of journalists everywhere.”
Haghighatnejad, 45, died of cancer on October 17 at the Charite Hospital in Berlin, and his body was repatriated to Iran for burial on October 25. However, his corpse went missing upon arrival amid unconfirmed reports that agents from the IRGC took it to an unknown location.
Earlier on October 27, Haghighatnejad's mother said Iranian security agents abducted her son's body.
"This is the message of a mother who has not seen her son for six years and was unaware of his illness, and now that his body has returned to Iran, it has been abducted by the authorities at the airport," Beygumjan Raeisi said in a video.
She did not say whether she had official confirmation that her son's body has been taken by security agents. Iranian authorities have not commented on the situation.
Relatives and friends told Radio Farda, where Haghighatnejad worked from 2019 until his death, that the necessary permits had been issued to bury his body in his hometown, the southern Iranian city of Shiraz.
Haghighatnejad left Iran amid increased pressure on journalists and started working with Persian-language media outside the country. He was not able to return to Iran because of his journalistic activities.
Radio Farda also obtained information indicating that his family was being pressured by the government to agree to his body being buried in another cemetery outside of his hometown.
RFE/RL President and CEO Jamie Fly has called the Iranian regime’s treatment of Haghighatnejad's family "disgraceful and disgusting," adding they deserve to bury him without regime harassment.
Haghighatnejad was a prominent analyst and political commentator with Persian-language media inside and outside of Iran. His death came as unrest rocks the country over the death of a young woman while in police custody for allegedly wearing a head scarf improperly.