Tehran, Iran – The recent release of a BBC World report shedding light on the tragic death of teenager Nika Shakarami has sparked a new wave of outrage in Iran. The 16-year-old was a prominent figure in Iran’s Woman, Life, Freedom movement and was allegedly sexually assaulted and murdered by members of the Islamic Republic’s security forces amidst a nationwide uprising following the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022.
According to the report, a confidential document obtained by BBC World revealed that three security personnel were directly involved in the heinous crime. The document detailed how Shakarami was physically restrained by one officer while resisting, leading to a violent assault with batons. The document also implicated senior commanders who allegedly concealed the details of the crime.
The revelation of Shakarami’s tragic fate has prompted prominent figures like Prince Reza Pahlavi to speak out against the systematic abuse and call for international accountability. Pahlavi condemned the actions of the Islamic Republic’s security forces, labeling it a crime against humanity. He urged the international legal community to hold the perpetrators, particularly Khamenei, accountable.
As the public outcry continues to grow, activists and critics of the regime like Hamed Esmaeilion and Masih Alinejad have vowed to seek justice for Shakarami and other victims. Esmaeilion promised that Shakarami’s killers would face punishment, while Alinejad stressed the importance of exposing the assailants and highlighting the orchestrated nature of the crime.
The tragic event has reignited calls for the dismantling of the current regime in Iran, with figures like Abdollah Mohtadi and Gohar Eshghi pointing to Shakarami’s murder as a stark reminder of the ongoing oppression and brutality faced by Iranian citizens. Eshghi, the mother of another victim, emphasized the need for accountability and justice through the fall of the Islamic Republic.
Recent discoveries from a hack of the Islamic Republic’s judicial systems have confirmed the rape of Nika before her murder. The document, written by the head of the Forensic Medicine Organization, revealed signs of assault during a genital examination. Shakarami’s family discovered her body in a morgue nine days after her disappearance, contradicting authorities’ claims of her suicide.