On 15 June 2009, Amir Hossein Toufanpour, born in 1978 and father of a 7-year-old daughter, was around Azadi square with his brother. Around 8:30 at night, noticing the noise and conflict in the street, he left his brother, who was on a motorcycle, to get closer to the scene and find out what was going on. His brother, who at first was waiting nearby, got farther from the scene as he saw some shooting taking place. He waited for his brother somewhere not far, but Amir never showed up. He went home and called Amir’s cell phone, but there was no answer. Close to the end of the night an anonymous person called his mother and tells her that Amir was shot in the arm and taken to the Rasoul Akram hospital. His mother and other family members look for him in that hospital and others that night and the following days, but to no avail. Feeling disappointed, they go to the Forensic Medicine department on Friday, 19 June and see his picture among those killed.

To give Amir’s body to the family, the Revolutionary Court mentions a requirement of 5 to 10,000,000 Tomans (approx. $5-10,000) for the expense of the bullets used, but then agree to not require the money as Amir’s mother was able to prove that he was an ordinary person and apolitical. To get his body, the family had to promise that they would not hold any public or private memorial service for him (neither in a mosque nor at home). His body showed multiple injuries: shots in his arm, side and back, bruises on the back of his neck, a gash on the back of his head which was filled with cotton, a full fracture on the arm where he was shot, and signs of a broken nose.

On 31 June, Amir was buried in Behesht Zahra cemetery (Section 233, Row 152, No. 32) and judicial authorities promised his family, especially his mother, to bring the killer or killers to justice. They told the family that they should only follow up on this case through legal measures and by doing so might be able to get blood money.

Amir’s mother goes to the cemetery twice a day, once in the morning before the doors are open, and once in the evening.

Nobody knows exactly how he died. Everything is based on what could be guessed by looking at his body. What is certain is that he was alive after he was shot, he was able to speak and give his cell phone to someone to call his mother to give her the info about him being shot. He was killed, but nobody in the judicial system made any effort to demand justice for his death. Regardless, his family and all who believe in justice hope for a different ending.