Nika Shakarami
Nika Shakarami, 16, disappeared after protesting in Tehran on 20 September 2022 and was later found dead; her family alleges she was beaten to death by Iranian authorities, rejecting official claims of suicide
Nika Shakarami died after sustaining severe traumatic injuries, including blows to the head, according to her family. These injuries would have caused critical damage to the brain and vital bodily functions, leading to death. Officials claimed she died by suicide, but her family rejected this explanation, stating that the nature and severity of her injuries were inconsistent with such a claim. No independent, transparent investigation was conducted to conclusively determine the circumstances of her death.
Biography
Nika Shakarami was a 16-year-old Iranian girl who became a symbol of the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests in Iran. She disappeared after taking part in demonstrations in Tehran on 20 September 2022, where she was filmed burning her headscarf in protest. Her body was found ten days later in a mortuary. Her family rejected official claims of suicide and stated that she died after suffering violent injuries.
Nika Shakarami was born in Iran and was 16 years old at the time of her death. She participated in protests that erupted following the death of Mahsa Amini in custody, demonstrations that quickly evolved into a nationwide movement against compulsory hijab laws and broader state repression.
On 20 September 2022, Nika was filmed during a protest in Tehran setting fire to her headscarf while chanting anti-government slogans. That evening, she informed a friend that she was being chased by security forces and then disappeared. Ten days later, her family located her body at a mortuary. Authorities claimed she had died by suicide, a narrative her family strongly denied. Relatives reported that her body showed signs of severe trauma, particularly to the head, and alleged that she was beaten to death. Her death became one of the most internationally recognized cases of the protest movement.
Pleas of Surviving Relatives and Family if any
Nika Shakarami’s family publicly rejected official claims that she died by suicide and demanded truth and justice. Iran morality police arrests dead protester's sister, mother says.police beat daughter to death in Iranian protests
Additional Information
Sources & References
Aida Shakarami: Iran morality police arrests dead protester's sister, mother says1 bbc.com Open source
Mother says police beat daughter to death in Iranian protests2 theguardian.com Open source