A Life Ended Too Soon
Hannaneh Kia Kajouri was born in 1999 in Nowshahr, a coastal city in northern Iran near the Caspian Sea. A young woman with her whole life ahead of her, she was beloved by her family and friends and known for her warmth and kindness.
On Wednesday, September 21, 2022, Hannaneh had just finished a visit to her dentist and was on her way home, walking along Sattar Khan Street near Azadi Square in Nowshahr. Without warning, she became a victim of the regime’s violent crackdown on peaceful protests. Iranian security forces opened fire, and Hannaneh was tragically killed on the spot. She was just 23 years old.
Two days later, on Friday, September 23, 2022, Hannaneh Kia Kajouri was laid to rest in the Al-Javad Cemetery, located between Nowshahr and Chalus, another city in northern Iran along the scenic Caspian coastline. Her funeral, attended by family and friends, was marked by grief and outrage.
On Wednesday, November 2, 2022, the 40-day mourning ceremony for Hannaneh Kia Kajouri was held in Nowshahr. As is tradition in Iranian culture, the “chehelom” (fortieth day) memorial is a significant event, symbolizing a period of reflection and remembrance. This gathering, however, turned into more than just a memorial. Those who attended the ceremony took to the streets in a powerful show of resistance, chanting slogans against the regime that had taken Hannaneh’s life.
In response, Iranian security forces, unwilling to tolerate even peaceful expressions of grief, fired tear gas at mourners gathered near Hannaneh’s family home. The cruelty of the regime’s repression extended even to those honoring her memory, further fueling the determination of the protesters.
Hannaneh Kia Kajouri’s life was cut short senselessly by a brutal regime that silenced voices calling for freedom. Her memory lives on in the hearts of those who loved her and in the continued fight for justice and human rights in Iran. She will forever be remembered as a young woman whose life was taken too soon, but whose spirit continues to inspire the struggle for a free Iran.
