A street vendor selling fruits has been sentenced to death for writing poems that complained of corruption in the regime.
Peyman Farahavar, 37, was convicted of “rebellion” and “waging war against God” by the Revolutionary Court in Rasht on the Caspian Sea coast.
The authorities said Farahavar was involved in arson at a construction site, but those close to him insisted his interrogations focused almost exclusively on his writings, IranWire reported.
Farahavar’s journey from seminary student to death row inmate illustrates the perilous path of dissent in Iran.
He once wore clerical robes but removed them in protest against the Islamic Republic’s policies.
Before his arrest, he was simply a street vendor selling fruit alongside his brother to support himself and his 10-year-old son.
Though he lived modestly and had just a few hundred followers on Instagram, Farahavar’s words were seen as dangerous enough to justify a death sentence.
His poems touched on environmental issues, cultural pride, and what he described as deep-rooted corruption.
He opposed the “widespread sale of Gilani farmers’ lands to non-locals” and criticized construction companies for their “misuse of Gilan’s environmental resources.”
His attachment to his Gilaki identity and admiration for regional heroes like Mirza Kuchik Khan reflected his deep connection to his locality.
“Peyman always had environmental concerns. The Gilaki language was very important to him,” one source told IranWire. “He grew to hate this government because of their oppression of the people. He spoke very harshly and stood against them.”
Arrested August 18, 2024, in Rasht, Farahavar spent 26 days in solitary confinement before being transferred to the security section of Lakan Prison. This wasn’t his first encounter with the authorities; he had previously been detained in May 2022 and released after a month.
A former cellmate described his talent for impromptu poetry and protest satire. “He is very capable. We would tease him, and he would spontaneously compose poetry,” the former cellmate said.
The hardest part of Farahavar’s imprisonment was being kept from his young son.
According to IranWire’s sources, his ex-wife’s relatives are affiliated with the Pasdaran and prevent the 10-year-old boy from visiting his father in prison.
“Only his brother and mother came for visits,” a cellmate said. “This was very difficult and painful for him.”
