Iran’s police force has dismissed the commander of a city in Gilan province following the death of a detainee in custody, state media reported on Saturday.
The detainee, 36-year-old Mohammad Mir Mousavi, was arrested on July 22 after being involved in an altercation in Lahijan, according to a police statement released by the official news agency IRNA.
In response to the incident, the police stated, “The police commander… was dismissed due to insufficient oversight of the conduct and behavior of staff,” highlighting concerns about the management of the station.
While the case has drawn significant attention, authorities have indicated that a final determination on the cause of Mousavi’s death awaits the medical examiner’s report, as the situation is described as complex.
Several officers involved in the incident, including the station commander, have been suspended from their duties.
The police emphasized, “The behavior of some law enforcement officers was against the professional policy of the police and that is not acceptable in any way, so they were referred to the judicial authority,” underscoring the seriousness of the misconduct.
Hengaw, a Norway-based Kurdish human rights organization, reported on Wednesday that Mousavi “was killed under torture in the detention center,” a claim that has intensified scrutiny of the case.
In response to the growing concerns, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered an investigation into the matter, seeking to address the questions surrounding Mousavi’s death.
The dismissal of security force members is a rare occurrence in Iran, making this case particularly notable.
The incident has drawn parallels to the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman whose death in police custody after being arrested in Tehran for allegedly violating the country’s strict dress code for women, ignited widespread and deadly protests across the nation.
