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| Iran: Haleh Sahabi dies at funeral of Ezatollah Sahabi | Iran: Haleh Sahabi dies at funeral of Ezatollah Sahabi |
| (21 days later) | |
| By Mohsen Asgari BBC News, Tehran | By Mohsen Asgari BBC News, Tehran |
| An Iranian opposition activist has died after scuffles with security forces at her father's funeral, the family says. | An Iranian opposition activist has died after scuffles with security forces at her father's funeral, the family says. |
| Haleh Sahabi, 55, had been allowed out of prison to attend the funeral of Ezatollah Sahabi, a former Iranian MP and prominent dissident. | Haleh Sahabi, 55, had been allowed out of prison to attend the funeral of Ezatollah Sahabi, a former Iranian MP and prominent dissident. |
| Her son, Yahya Shamekhi, said she had become upset after security officials tried to stop the ceremony and is thought to have had a heart attack. | Her son, Yahya Shamekhi, said she had become upset after security officials tried to stop the ceremony and is thought to have had a heart attack. |
| The Iranian authorities have denied the reports. | The Iranian authorities have denied the reports. |
| Funerals involving other opposition figures have also been broken up. | Funerals involving other opposition figures have also been broken up. |
| Three months ago, the funeral ceremony of Mir Esmaeil Mousavi, father of leading opposition figure Mir Hussein Mousavi, was halted, and two members of the Mousavi family were arrested. | Three months ago, the funeral ceremony of Mir Esmaeil Mousavi, father of leading opposition figure Mir Hussein Mousavi, was halted, and two members of the Mousavi family were arrested. |
| 'Agitated atmosphere' | 'Agitated atmosphere' |
| Mr Shamekhi described what had happened at Ezatollah Sahabi's funeral. | Mr Shamekhi described what had happened at Ezatollah Sahabi's funeral. |
| "When we took the body of my grandfather out for the funeral ceremony, officials tried to stop the ceremony - that made the atmosphere very agitated," he said. | "When we took the body of my grandfather out for the funeral ceremony, officials tried to stop the ceremony - that made the atmosphere very agitated," he said. |
| "Finally they forcefully grabbed the body and took it away. Then my mother fell down and become unconscious. The doctor told us she died because of a heart attack." | "Finally they forcefully grabbed the body and took it away. Then my mother fell down and become unconscious. The doctor told us she died because of a heart attack." |
| But Alireza Janeh, head of security at the Tehran governor's office, said there were no clashes. | But Alireza Janeh, head of security at the Tehran governor's office, said there were no clashes. |
| Mr Janeh told the semi-official Isna news agency that Mrs Sahabi had died of heart problems exacerbated by "stress and hot weather". | Mr Janeh told the semi-official Isna news agency that Mrs Sahabi had died of heart problems exacerbated by "stress and hot weather". |
| The funeral was attended by at least 2,000 people in the Lavasan area of Tehran despite reports of a heavy security presence in the area. | The funeral was attended by at least 2,000 people in the Lavasan area of Tehran despite reports of a heavy security presence in the area. |
| A mourner told the BBC: "Following the uprisings in the Middle East, the Iranian government is very nervous about people's gatherings for any reasons, particularly if it is related to an opposition figure." | A mourner told the BBC: "Following the uprisings in the Middle East, the Iranian government is very nervous about people's gatherings for any reasons, particularly if it is related to an opposition figure." |
| Mrs Sahabi, a member of the "Mothers for Peace" group and a campaigner for women's rights, was one of a group of government critics who were arrested in front of the parliament during President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's swearing-in ceremony. She was sentenced to two years in prison. | Mrs Sahabi, a member of the "Mothers for Peace" group and a campaigner for women's rights, was one of a group of government critics who were arrested in front of the parliament during President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's swearing-in ceremony. She was sentenced to two years in prison. |
| Ezatollah Sahabi was a member of the interim government installed after the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran, which resigned in protest over the takeover of the US embassy in Tehran. | Ezatollah Sahabi was a member of the interim government installed after the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran, which resigned in protest over the takeover of the US embassy in Tehran. |
| He died of stroke in a Tehran hospital on Monday at the age of 81. | He died of stroke in a Tehran hospital on Monday at the age of 81. |