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Youness Asakere, an Iranian fruit vendor who set himself on fire in front of the Khoramshahr municipality in protest after his fruit stand was confiscated by authorities, died March 22. His death, and the lack of broader attention by Iranian society, has stirred many questions among activists and analysts on social media.
Family members of Asakere, who was an ethnic Arab, said that the fruit stand was his sole means of income and that he had been previously denied official permits to have a stand. An official with Khouzestan province said that while it’s too early to assign blame, “in case of negligence” the officials will deal firmly with those responsible. Dozens of residents of showed up at Askere’s funeral in Khoramshahr March 23.
