An Iranian reformist website says the father of a young man killed during postelection unrest has been detained by security forces.
Norooznews.ir reports that several plainclothes agents went to the Tehran home of the late Masud Hashemzadeh, removed all signs of mourning -- including black cloth and condolences messages from neighbors -- and detained Hashemzadeh's father.
Twenty-seven-year-old Masud Hashemzadeh was shot dead during a June 20 demonstration in Tehran over the results of the June 12 vote.
Hashemzadeh’s brother, Milad Hashemzadeh, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda that his brother died of a gunshot wound to the heart. He said authorities had banned the family from holding a mourning ceremony for him.
Hashemzadeh's brother said that he had been briefly detained and questioned over the burial plans for his bother in Rasht in northern Iran.
He said his family has been in deep pain and suffering since his brother's death.
Hashemzadeh's mother said in an interview with the website of a group called the Mourning Mothers of Iran that authorities had pressured the family not to cry aloud at his grave. She said she had remained silent because of the pressure and the detention of her younger son but she finally decided to break her silence and talk about the death of her son.
She said her son had been very upset following the announcement of the result of the election. She expressed the hope that the blood of Iran's young generation would not be spilled and trampled and that such a tragedy would have a result.
-- Golnaz Esfandiari