'I Won’t Take Blood Money': A Mother’s Fight for Justice After Her Son's Death

The last time Erfan Rezaei's mother saw him, she ran her hand through his hair.

Two bullets - one below his shoulder and another near his chest - had torn through his side. His death certificate listed the cause as "the operation of combat equipment outside of a war zone."

Erfan, just 21, took to the streets of Amol on September 20, 2022, to protest Mahsa Amini’s death. He tore down a billboard of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and stood defiantly on a special unit’s vehicle. Armed forces fatally shot him. His body was returned two days later, but only after his mother was threatened and forced to sign a commitment.

A source told IranWire that Erfan had been a vegetarian for two years, had a deep love for animals and nature, and frequently helped the needy. He had plans to open a mushroom-growing business with the money from selling his motorcycle, but this dream died with him.

On the second anniversary of the nationwide protests in Iran that were sparked by Mahsa Amini's death in the custody of the notorious Morality Police, IranWire continues to document the victims, the legal battles of their families, and what has transpired since their loss.

In the days following Erfan Rezaei's death, a source told IranWire that the cause of death was heavy bleeding. For a long time, no one knew exactly where Erfan had been shot. It wasn’t until nine months later that his mother, Farzaneh Barzehkar, revealed to Radio Farda that Erfan’s uncles had seen two bullet wounds - one below his shoulder and the other beneath his chest.

At the morgue, Barzehkar was not allowed to view her son’s body, but she noticed blood stains on his shroud, particularly around the liver area.

On September 20, 2022, according to a family acquaintance, Erfan woke up in the afternoon and called his mother. She was in the center of Amol to get her nails done and mentioned that the area was crowded. Erfan told her, "Leave it, Mom. I'm going out for a walk."

The acquaintance, who spoke to IranWire, said that Erfan asked his mother for some money to get coffee, but the amount wasn’t enough, so he requested more. However, by then, the internet had been cut off, and his mother was unable to transfer money to his account or check on him.

By 8:30 PM, Erfan stopped answering his phone. Panicked, his mother, Barzehkar, learned from a friend that Erfan was missing. A family contact suggested he might have been arrested. Fearing for his safety, she rushed to the intelligence office but, after hours of anxious waiting, received no information.

Eventually, a friend’s brother told her that Erfan had been shot and taken to the hospital. Barzehkar rushed to the "17 Shahrivar" hospital in Amol. According to a source, 11 lifeless bodies of protesters were brought into the hospital that night.

Erfan’s mother searched the hospital for hours, desperately pleading for information. She identified his bloodied, bullet-riddled shirt, only to be coldly told to take it home. After four agonizing hours, Erfan's uncles were informed that he had died earlier, and his body had been sent to the morgue.

"They didn't tell his mother anything, even when she was begging, 'My son has a scale tattooed on his hand and a star on his wrist,'" said a source. "She wandered the hospital floors, clutching an asthma inhaler, while they kept silent. It was only after they sedated her with morphine that they told her - he was the first one to die that night."

Videos from the night of September 20, 2022, in Amol capture the brutal violence by security forces and citizens' bare-handed resistance. Erfan, in a long-sleeved shirt, grey Adidas pants, and boots, appears in several clips - standing on the hood of a fleeing special unit car and tearing down a billboard of Khamenei. His mother later confirmed it was her son in those images.

A source speaking to IranWire said that Erfan’s father, a veteran injured during the Iran-Iraq war, suffered from nerve and mental health issues. Erfan’s childhood was not easy, but he always had a love for life.

The source described Erfan as a thoughtful young man who enjoyed walking to be alone with his thoughts and reflect on life and existence. “Every evening, he would go for a walk. He was anti-war, against the military, and exceptionally bright as a child. His mother recalls that he often solved math problems several lessons ahead of the class, much to the disbelief of his teachers. Farzaneh wanted him to become a lawyer and even suggested he use his father’s veteran benefits to pursue it. But Erfan, being honorable and principled, was upset by how children were being brainwashed in the education system. He often complained about the harsh treatment he received from his school principal.”

The source referred to the ideological indoctrination in Iranian schools, which many critics of the Islamic Republic describe as “brainwashing.”

According to another source, Erfan would collect chicken bones and skins from his uncle’s shop and take them to feed the stray dogs in nearby villages. He had a deep love for nature and was always kind-hearted towards the poor. "There was a deaf man named Abdi who sold socks in his town. Erfan would frequently buy socks from him, even when he didn’t need them, just to help him. He wanted Abdi to finish his work early so he could go home."

After Mahsa Amini’s death, Erfan’s outlook on life shifted significantly. “He became much more engaged in the people’s protests. He constantly talked to his mother about the demonstrations and was deeply concerned. You could see the worry on his face, but he was excited and kept telling his mother, ‘Mom, these guys (the Islamic Republic) are on their way out.’”

Stonewalling Justice: Take Blood Money, Give Consent

According to information received by IranWire, despite Erfan Rezaei’s mother filing a formal complaint with the judiciary, there has been no resolution nearly two years later.

A source explained that Erfan’s mother complained after his 40-day mourning period. The last communication from the court came six or seven months ago when the judge instructed the IRGC intelligence to review surveillance footage from the area where Erfan was shot. However, the IRGC has yet to respond.

"His mother hired a lawyer after 40 days," the source said. "The lawyer told her to take the money and distribute it to four poor people, saying there was no other option since no one was identifying Erfan’s killer. But his mother refused. She said, 'If I have to sell my house to help the poor, I will do it. I won’t take blood money.' The lawyer tried to calm her down, saying, ‘At least do a good deed in Erfan’s name.’ But she stood firm, saying, ‘Erfan did his own good deeds.’"

After months without updates from the IRGC, Erfan’s mother wanted to take matters into her own hands and demand answers regarding the surveillance footage. However, her lawyer advised her that it would be dangerous to pursue this on her own.

The source also said how the authorities hindered the family’s efforts to commemorate Erfan’s life, stating, “Farzaneh herself wasn’t targeted, but her family faced a lot of pressure. Irfan’s body wasn’t handed over until September 22, and even then, the authorities forced the family to bury him in a location they didn’t want. His father is a war veteran, and his father’s side of the family has influential ties, but that didn’t stop the government’s interference."

Erfan is buried in "Imam Zadeh Abdullah" cemetery in Amol, plot 29. “They didn’t even put up a plot number because they feared people would come and find his grave. His mother directs people by saying, ‘It’s near the square, beside the water cooler.’”

The source emphasized that despite the obstacles, Erfan’s mother made a large crown for his grave. “Anyone who visits, even if they don’t know Erfan, says that this boy is alive. It’s as if they see him.”

Regarding ongoing harassment of the family, the source added, “During this time, the authorities constantly called the family, particularly Farzaneh’s brother. They didn’t physically harm him, likely out of fear that it would draw too much attention. Twice, before Farzaneh’s arrest, they called her directly. She told them, ‘What do you want from our lives?’ and hung up. But it was an interrogator, and they arrested her.”

The source referred to the arrest of Farzaneh Barzehkar on the eve of the first anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death. Farzaneh was among dozens of mothers who had lost their children in the protests. She was released on bail from Qaemshahr prison.

According to IranWire’s sources, during Irfan’s birthday ceremony, which took place on September 1 this year, security forces repeatedly called his uncle, warning him not to hold any commemorations for Erfan. “On his birthday, they cut off the electricity. A car parked right in front of the small gathering of seven or eight people at Erfan’s grave, with its windows tinted. Despite the heat, the people inside the car stayed for two hours."

Four security cameras have been installed in front of Erfan’s grave, with strict orders that no one is allowed to film the area. "They told the family not to share any videos from Erfan’s birthday with Iran International or any other networks or websites."