Parviz Hekmatjoo

Parviz Hekmatjoo (Persian: پرویز حکمت جو; died 1974) was an Iranian aviator and military officer prominent during the reign of the Shah of Iran. He became associated with the Tudeh Party of Iran, a communist political organization. Hekmatjoo faced imprisonment and torture multiple times due to his involvement with the party.

Background
During the coup d'état on 19 August 1953, orchestrated by elements within the Iranian military with support from foreign powers, Hekmatjoo found himself targeted by the newly established regime. Despite initially escaping Iran and residing in Iraq during the government of Abdul Karim Qasim, his return to Iran led to his arrest and subsequent trial by the military court of the newly formed regime.

The political landscape of Iran during this period was tumultuous, marked by the suppression of dissenting voices and the imprisonment or execution of political activists. Hekmatjoo, along with Ali Khavari, another Tudeh Party member, faced the death penalty but was ultimately spared execution due to international and religious pressure on the Shah's regime.

Despite being spared from execution, Hekmatjoo endured years of imprisonment in the notorious jails of the Shah's regime. He became a vocal advocate for the Tudeh Party's ideals, even within the confines of the prison walls, garnering respect and recognition among fellow inmates for his steadfastness and dedication. Hekmatjoo's life was cut short in the year 1974 (1353 in the Persian calendar), when he succumbed to the torture inflicted upon him in the Evin Prison, a symbol of oppression during the Shah's reign.