Pedram Kazerooni

1, 2 – 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.

3, 4 – Nika Shakarami was a 16-year-old Iranian girl who disappeared in Tehran on September 20, 2022 during a protest that ensued after the police killing of Mahsa Jina Amini. She was last seen burning her headscarf as she stood on a dumpster. Shortly after, she was pursued by security forces. Her body was discovered ten days later in a morgue, bearing signs of violence and torture. Several videos of Nika singing have circulated on social media, inspiring artists to create artworks centered around her passion for being on stage and singing.