Nika Shakarami

Their life

Full Name: Nika Shakarami (نیکا شاکرمی)
Born: 2 October 2005, Khorramabad, Lorestan Province, Iran
Family: Second child in a Lur family; moved to Tehran after her father's death; lived with her aunt and worked at a coffee shop.
Background: A vibrant teenager who participated in the Mahsa Amini protests demanding women's rights. She was known for her bravery and activism despite her young age. She sent her last message saying she was being chased by security forces before disappearing.

Full Name: Nika Shakarami (نیکا شاکرمی)
Date of Birth: 2 October 2005
Place of Birth: Khorramabad, Lorestan Province, Iran
Date of Death: 20 September 2022 (Age 16)
Cause of Death: Blunt force trauma from beating by Iranian security forces (reported by leaked documents and family testimony)
Background: A vibrant teenager who participated in the Mahsa Amini protests demanding women's rights. She was known for her bravery and activism despite her young age. She sent her last message saying she was being chased by security forces before disappearing.

How they died

beaten to death by security forces after resisting a sexual assault in custody.

Blunt force trauma — as confirmed in both a Behesh-e Zahra cemetery document and a medical report seen by her family. A leaked Iranian government document later revealed she was beaten to death by security forces after resisting a sexual assault in custody.

Additional context

Nika Shakarami's death was caused by blunt force trauma after being captured, sexually assaulted, and beaten by Iranian security forces during the 2022 protests. Authorities initially claimed she fell from a height, but a leaked document later revealed the violence she suffered while in custody. Her death became a symbol of the brutal crackdown on dissent in Iran.

A plea from the family

Nika’s family, especially her mother and aunt, made urgent public appeals demanding truth, justice, and accountability. Her mother repeatedly rejected the government's claims that Nika committed suicide, asserting her daughter was murdered for resisting oppression. Despite threats and intimidation, her family continued to speak out, holding public memorials and encouraging others to fight for freedom. “I will forever be in agony for your sufferings, but I love you. When I see that pure seed of your thinking – freedom, courage and honour – blossom in the hearts of other loved ones, I am happy and grateful.” — Nika's mother, on

Why we remember them

This record exists so that Nika Shakarami, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources