Report: Iran investigates death of activist in jail

TEHRAN, Iran – A spokesman for Iran’s judiciary says authorities have begun investigating the death of an activist who was killed in a Tehran prison last week.

The semi-official news site Mizanonline.com quoted Monday a spokesman for the justice ministry, Gholamhosein Esmaili, as saying two separate teams are investigating the death of Alireza Shirmohammadali, who was stabbed to death by two other prisoners.

Esmaili said the assailants used a handmade knife and piece of ceramic to hit Shirmohammadali, 21, who was in jail since July and sentenced to eight years in prison over insulting the country’s Islamic identity and government.

Iran has sentenced many activists to varying prison terms over similar charges.

The activist’s lawyer, Mohammad Hadi Erfanian, told the official IRNA news agency last week that his client was stabbed 30 times.