Lifeless body of teenage protester in Iran handed over to family after arrest

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The body of a 16-year-old teenager, who had been shot during the protests in the city of Urmia, was returned to his family on Thursday, a rights group reported.

Weeks-long protests sparked by the death of a Kurdish woman Mahsa (Zhina) Amini while in detention have met a violent response by Iranian authorities. Among the many demonstrators killed or arrested is Nima Shafiqdoost from Urmia in West Azerbaijan province. 

Hengaw Organization for Human Rights reported that security forces had arrested Shafiqdoost who had been shot and wounded, without disclosing any information to the family.

Shafiqdoost was wounded via direct fired by Iranian security forces, his family members attempted to treat him in secret in the basement of his father’s house due to the fear of his body being taken by security forces, the monitor added. 

Two weeks ago, a 16-year-old girl identified as Nika Shakarami, who participated in the protests in Tehran, was killed. According to her family, she was soon to be buried in her hometown of Khorramabad when her body was reportedly taken by authorities and buried in a village 40 kilometers away. The government has said Shakarami in fact committed suicide. 

At least 154 people have been killed since nationwide protests erupted in Iran on September 16, the Oslo-based Iran Human Rights Organization (IHR) said on Tuesday.

By Zheen Saman