Item Summary

Asra-Panahi - Asra Panahi was a 15-year-old schoolgirl who died in Ardabil, a city in the northwest of Iran. She was one of several students who were beaten by security forces during a raid on her school, when they refused to sing an anthem praising the supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. She died later in hospital from her injuries, on October 13, 2022.

Berlin-Protest - The Iranian protest in Berlin, held on October 22, 2022, showcased the largest demonstration of solidarity in response to ongoing protests in Iran. With a turnout of approximately 80,000 demonstrators, this gathering represented a significant milestone, as it stood as the largest demonstration ever organized by the Iranian diaspora.

Elnaz-Rekabi - Elnaz Rekabi, an Iranian sport climber, defied Iran's stringent dress code when she competed without a hijab at the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) Asian Championships in South Korea on October 16, 2022. By refusing to comply with the Hijab Law, which mandates women to cover their hair and body during public and official competition abroad, Elnaz's appearance, with her ponytail on display, sparked admiration and support from numerous Iranians who were actively protesting against the hijab laws and clerical regime.

General-Strike - The October 2022 three-day strike, which took place between October 22 and 24, marked a significant, peaceful display of protest. It stood as a united expression of solidarity with the anti-government demonstrations, which were sparked by the police killing of Mahsa Jina Amini. Iranian shopkeepers, factory workers, truck drivers, teachers, students, and people belonging to various other sectors of society participated in this strike, extending its reach to numerous cities and towns.

Gohar-Eshghi - Gohar Eshghi is an Iranian civil activist and one of the Iranian Complainant Mothers, a group seeking justice for their children killed by the Iranian regime. She is the mother of Sattar Beheshti, an Iranian blogger who was tortured and killed while in custody in 2012. Eshghi has been involved in the Woman, Life, Freedom movement but has faced harassment and threats from the Iranian authorities, which have been attempting to silence her.

Hossein-Ronaghi - Hossein Ronaghi, an Iranian activist and political prisoner, actively participated in the Woman, Life, Freedom movement, enduring arrest and hunger strikes to protest prison conditions and torture. Despite facing pressure and harassment, he continues to advocate for justice and freedom. Images of his parents, wrapped in blankets, seeking information about their son's health outside Evin prison, went viral on social media.

Khodanoor - Khodanour Lojei, a 27-year-old Baluchi protester from the southeastern Iranian city of Zahedan was killed during the Zahedan massacre on September 30, 2022. A photograph circulated widely, showing him with his hands tied to a flagpole while a cup of water sat out of his reach. The Iranian authorities posted this image online with the intention to further humiliate him.

Kian-Pirfalak - Kian Pirfalak, was a nine-year-old boy from the southwestern Iranian city of Izeh in Khuzestan Province. He was shot and killed by the security forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran on November 16, 2022, while he was inside his parent's vehicle during a protest staged in response to the police killing of Mahsa Jina Amini. A video capturing Kian testing his hand-made boat and uttering the phrase "in the name of the God of rainbows'' gained immense attention online. This symbolic reference to rainbows has since emerged as a significant motif within the various memorials honoring Kian.

Kordistan-Voice - Kurdistan, situated in the northwest region of Iran, is home to a significant Kurdish population. This region has a longstanding history of resistance and a relentless struggle for self-determination and autonomy, as the Kurdish community has faced oppression and discrimination by the Iranian state for many years.

Mahsa-Amini - Mahsa Jina Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman from the northwestern city of Saqqez, hailed from Kurdistan, Iran. She was arrested by the Morality Police on the accusation of not wearing the “proper” hijab, She ultimately lost her life due to torture while in police custody. Amini's death sparked the Woman, Life, Freedom movement, originating in Saqqez and Kurdistan before spreading across Iran and beyond. The movement's rallying cry, "Jin, Jiyan, Azadî," meaning "Woman, Life, Freedom" in Kurdish (and was also translated as “Zan, Zendegi, Azadi” into Persian), has become a symbol in the fight for justice and liberation.

Mehrshad-ShahidiNejad - Mehrshad Shahidinejad was a young chef from the city of Arak, Markazi Province of Iran. He gained recognition for his artistic cooking videos on Instagram. He was tragically beaten to death by the intelligence unit of the Revolutionary Guard on October 25, 2022, after participating in a protest in response to the police killing of Mahsa Jina Amini. He passed away at the age of 19, just a day before his 20th birthday.

Taraneh-Alidoosti - Taraneh Alidoosti, a renowned Iranian actress, has gained international acclaim for her performances in notable films. She is also known for her advocacy of women's rights and support for the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in Iran. Alidoosti has actively denounced the ruling regime and expressed solidarity with the protestors through her social media presence, particularly on Instagram. In an act of defiance, she shared a photo of herself without the mandatory hijab, holding a sign that reads "Woman, Life, Freedom" in Kurdish on November 10, 2022. For this gesture, in which she leveraged her fame to raise awareness and support for Iranian women, she earned admiration and praise from Iranians and global observers. Alidoosti was arrested on December 17, 2022, at her home in Tehran and taken to Evin prison. The international community, including prominent Iranian figures and human rights organizations, expressed outrage and condemnation in response to her arrest.

Zahedan - Zahedan is a city in the Sistan-Baluchistan province of Iran, where many of the protests over the police killing of Mahsa Jina Amini took place. Zahedan is home to a large Baluch population, who are mostly Sunni Muslims and face discrimination and oppression from the Shi‘i Iranian regime. The Sistan-Baluchistan province has also witnessed some of the most brutal repression by security forces, who have opened fire on protestors and killed dozens of them.

Sanandaj - Sanandaj is a city in the Kurdistan province of Iran where many of the protests over the police killing of Mahsa Jina Amini took place. The Kurdistan province witnessed some of the most violent clashes between protestors and the authorities, who tried to suppress the movement.