A leading Iranian human rights group says a political activist imprisoned in the western Iranian city of Bukan and subsequently transferred to a hospital after falling into a coma amid reports he was tortured has died.
Hengaw, a Norway-based group that monitors rights violations in Iran's Kurdish regions, said on December 19 that Mohammad Haji Rasoulpour was arrested on October 1 during nationwide protests over the death of Mahsa Amini in September while in police custody for allegedly wearing a head scarf improperly.
Rasoulpour, who had been detained several times previously for his activism, was released on bail 25 days later, but security forces re-arrested him on November 23.
According to Hengaw, Rasoulpour fell into a coma 20 days later because of the severity of his injuries suffered from being tortured while in custody.
Hengaw quoted a close relative of Rasoulpour as saying that prison officials contacted his family saying he would be released temporarily, but when they came to the prison he was brought out unconscious and in a wheelchair.
They took him directly to hospital where he was admitted into intensive care.
Five days later, on December 18, he died due to severe injuries suffered from being tortured, the family said.
The France-based Kurdistan Human Rights Network, which has published a list of detainees in the western Iranian province of Kurdistan, said Rasoulpour and about 100 other detainees have been tortured in secret detention centers set up by Iranian security forces.
Rights groups are now reporting that Sirvan Mohammadi, a young protester from the western Iranian city of Sanandaj, is now in danger of dying after being severely tortured.
According to Hengaw, at least nine protesters -- including Rasoulpour -- who were arrested in Kurdistan and Kurdish cities have been killed "under torture by government forces."
The IRGC has accused Kurdish groups of "attacking and infiltrating Iran to sow insecurity and riots and spread unrest" amid protests that erupted over Amini's death.
Thousands of Iranians have taken to the streets to demand more freedoms and women's rights in the wake of Amini's death. The widespread demonstrations represent the biggest threat to the Islamic government since the 1979 revolution.
Iran Human Rights said on December 7 that at least 458 protesters have been killed during the unrest, including 63 minors, as security forces try to stifle widespread dissent.