Death of Satirist Alireza Rezaei in Exile Prompts Outpouring of Grief from Iranians Forced by State Repression to Flee Iran

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November 29, 2018—The death in exile of prominent Iranian satirist Alireza Rezaei has prompted an outpouring of grief by his compatriots inside and outside Iran, who lament not only his death but also the brutal personal cost of exile and the cruelty of a state that will not abide by freedom of expression.

“Rezaei had to leave Iran because of the power of his pen. This is the terrible price of political repression—people lose their homeland, and the homeland loses its greatest talents,” said Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI).