Ali Shoosh was a 34-year-old artist, musician, and poet from Ahvaz, residing in Isfahan, who was killed on March 4, 2023, due to injuries sustained during the nationwide protests in Iran. Born on May 10, 1988, Ali was known for his pure, kind, calm, and brave nature. He was a passionate animal lover, a vegetarian, and cared for a fluffy dog and a cat named Lily with her kittens. His friends described him as someone who had achieved a profound understanding of life, and he was deeply loved by many.
Ali was a self-taught musician who began playing bass guitar in 2016 and became proficient in both classical and bass guitar. He was a member of the "Bakoot" music group, a guitar teacher, and also had a keen interest in theater and painting, frequently enjoying art gallery visits. After completing his military service, he pursued higher education, graduating from the Faculty of Physics at Isfahan University of Technology after four years.
In the wake of the nationwide protests following Mahsa Zhina Amini's killing, Ali joined his fellow citizens in their demonstrations. On October 26, 2022, coinciding with the fortieth day commemoration of Mahsa Amini, he took to the streets of Isfahan. During the protests, he was violently attacked by several security agents who beat him severely with chains and batons, inflicting numerous blows to his head and body. He was left injured on the ground but managed to return home, bruised and battered. For about a week, he struggled to walk, with only his immediate family aware of the brutal assault.
Some time later, Ali was hospitalized due to his head injuries. Approximately four months after the attack, in early March 2023, the severe baton blows to his head caused a brain lesion, which subsequently led to a stroke. After ten days, he was declared brain dead and passed away on March 4, 2023. Following his death, Ali's family consented to donate his organs. However, security agents reportedly subjected his family to intense pressure and threats, coercing them to publicly state that his cause of death was a stroke and brain death, and to conceal the true circumstances of his killing. Under this immense pressure, his family remained silent. Ali Shoosh was quietly laid to rest in Isfahan. His grave is marked by a blue guitar on his tombstone, alongside an inscription of his own poetry.
Later, Mohammad Bam, an Iranian poet in exile, publicly revealed the truth about Ali's death on his Instagram. He wrote, «A year has passed since Ali's absence, and we will no longer remain silent about this. Ali Shoosh was killed. Ali Shoosh, a poet, musician, and actor, was killed in a hospital due to a brain lesion, four months after being attacked and struck in the head by security agents during Mahsa Amini's fortieth-day ceremony in Isfahan. During this time, I spoke with many doctors, and all unanimously confirmed that the baton blows were instrumental in Ali Shoosh's passing. They killed our young and healthy Ali. It would be a desecration of his blood and ideals to consider his killing a simple death due to illness.»
After Ali's passing, his family posted a message on Instagram from his perspective, stating, «I am Ali. The world decided I should no longer be among you. I had good and bad memories with you, and I tried to love everyone. I was an advocate for animal rights, and I ask you to love them too. Most of the time, I expressed my feelings and thoughts poetically, sometimes through music and theater. I am Ali Shoosh, a man of poetry, music, and theater, so do not read the Quran for me; if you wish to find peace for yourselves, read it, but not for me, as I hold no such beliefs! I donate my organs to patients whose families are waiting, to save a few more lives before I leave. I tried very hard to get better, but it was not to be. I am sorry. Take care of your health, cherish your loved ones so you don't regret it later. Strive for your independence, because being in captivity brings no joy; claim your rights…» One of his friends, upon hearing of his death, wrote, «Ali, I wish your noble spirit could be transplanted to someone, just like your other organs, so whenever we missed you, we could come and talk to you to our heart's content... Although before you left, you divided your spirit among all of us; anyone who was even briefly in your life surely carries a piece of your kind soul in the alleys of their heart. I wish we had listened more to your quiet words. Our regrets are many, and the reality is undeniable... Come visit us, don't let longing drive us mad... And the donated organs of my body, immersed in joy within my compatriots, will witness the day when you all together eradicate oppression from our homeland and embrace freedom. Continue the struggle, and remember me on the day of victory…💔»