Death of Hadis Najafi

Hadis Najafi was born in Karaj on 5 January 2000. She was the fourth child of the family, having three older sisters and one younger brother. Najafi had a diploma in fashion design and worked as a cashier at a restaurant in Mehrshahr, Karaj. Najafi had no known prior engagement in activist causes and had not previously spoken openly on women's rights in Iran. On the night of 21 September, she sent a video to a friend in which she said "I like to think that when I think about this a few years later I'll be pleased I joined the protest." She left her house around thirty minutes before she was killed. == Death ==

Hadis Najafi is reported to have been shot on Eram Boulevard in Mehrshahr, Karaj, around 8 pm. times in the face, hand, neck, abdomen and heart. According to the Iranian government, she was shot by protesters with weapons not used by police officers, a claim strongly disputed by Najafi's own family, other activists, and the international media. After being shot, Najafi was taken to Ghaem Hospital in Karaj, where she was pronounced dead. Radio Zamaneh published Najafi's death certificate. Images of her injuries and certificate of death were later confirmed by Amnesty International and BBC Persian after contact with her family. Najafi's father was also reportedly drugged and pressured by security forces to say she died of natural causes. ==Burial and chehellom==

Najafi was buried on 1 October at the Behesht-e Sakineh cemetery. Security forces were reportedly present during the ceremony. On 3 November, forty days after her death, thousands of mourners tried to attend the chehellom memorial gathering at the Beheshte Sakineh cemetery, but were blocked by government forces, according to witnesses. Hundreds of mourners instead marched on Beheshti Boulevard. Video verified by The Washington Post shows protestors throwing rocks at security forces, and a 17-year-old shot and killed by a member of the security forces. As of April 2023, the government had arrested fifteen people, sentenced five of the arrested to death, and carried out two executions, with the remaining three death sentences under judicial review. == Reactions ==

Najafi's death was shared on social media by the Iranian-American journalist and activist Masih Alinejad. eventually also being widely shared by international news outlets reporting on her death. and remembered for her courage. Najafi's sister, on the contrary, stated that Najafi had decided to participate in the protests due to having been heartbroken and outraged over the fate of Mahsa Amini. Luciano Spalletti, the head coach of Italian Serie A club Napoli, brought two roses in memory of Mahsa Amini and Hadis Najafi to a press conference on 30 September 2022. == See also ==