Death of Iranian activist who burned picture of supreme leader causes outcry

"The death of a young Iranian man who had filmed himself burning a photograph of the country's supreme leader has sparked a war of words between state media and activists over how he died. Government-sanctioned news websites reported that Omid Sarlak, who was in his 20s, had been found in his car on Saturday in western Iran with a gunshot wound to his head and traces of gunpowder on his hands. Iranian police said Sarlak had died by suicide."

"Hours before Sarlak's body was found, a video posted on his social media account showed him burning the photo of the Islamic Republic's leader, Ali Khamenei. The furore presents a threat to the regime, with Sarlak becoming an icon for activists, many of whom have followed him by burning Khamenei's photo in solidarity and posting the videos online. Suspicions have grown after a widely circulated video showed Sarlak's father reportedly saying at the site of his son's death: They killed my champion here."

"Later, in a televised interview aired by state media, Sarlak's father requested people to not pay attention to what's circulating on social media and to let the judicial authorities handle the matter. Activists have called the video forced and said the family was under surveillance. Hundreds of mourners who attended Sarlak's funeral on Monday demonstrated and chanted slogans such as Death to the dictator and Death to Khamenei."

Omid Sarlak, in his 20s, filmed himself burning a photograph of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. He was later found in his car in western Iran with a gunshot wound to the head and traces of gunpowder on his hands; police declared the death a suicide. Activists and anti-government media say the timing raises suspicions of killing for his views. A circulated clip reportedly captured his father saying, 'They killed my champion here,' while a televised state interview showed the father asking people to ignore social media and trust judicial authorities. Mourners chanted slogans including 'Death to the dictator' and 'Death to Khamenei,' and many replicated his act online.

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