Reports received by the Karoon Human Rights Organization indicate that “Sajjad Savari“, a 27-year-old resident of Farahani Street in Ahwaz, set himself on fire on the morning of Friday, 8 Esfand 1404 (February 27, 2026), and died due to the severity of his burns.
According to these reports, the motive behind this tragic act was severe economic pressure, unemployment, and his inability to cover living expenses—once again highlighting the deep livelihood crisis in the Ahwaz region (Khuzestan).
According to reports published by human rights activists and local sources, dozens of cases of suicide and self-immolation linked to poverty and unemployment have been recorded in Ahwaz and nearby cities during the year 1404 (2025–2026) alone. Experts consider these figures a clear indication of growing social and economic pressure on residents of the Ahwaz region.
This comes despite the fact that the region—often referred to as the “land of black gold”—possesses vast oil and gas resources and fertile agricultural lands. Nevertheless, it has for years struggled with structural poverty, chronic unemployment, discriminatory hiring practices, and environmental crises; a combination of factors that has turned suicide into one of the painful forms of silent protest among the people.
