A Symbol of Oppressed Baluchi Women
Somayyeh Mahmoudi Nejad, a 27-year-old Baluchi woman, lived with her husband and eight-year-old son in the historic city of Qaleh Ganj, located in Kerman province, southeastern Iran. Her life was marked by resilience and devotion to her family, but it ended tragically and violently simply because she resisted oppression.
On October 8, 2022, Somayyeh Mahmoudi Nejad and her young son went to the market by taxi. As they arrived, a State Security Force officer opened fire on Somayeh, shooting her six times in front of her child. Her life was taken in a brutal, unprovoked act during the wave of government-sanctioned violence that swept Iran amid nationwide protests.
According to Somayyeh’s husband, Ashkan Mahmoudi Nejad, the officer responsible for her death had been harassing her for months. His repeated advances had been met with Somayyeh’s clear rejection, which led him to make threats against her life. In the tense environment of 2022’s uprising, regime forces acted with near-total freedom to suppress dissent, often using live ammunition and excessive force against unarmed civilians.
Despite her family’s pleas for justice, no action has been taken against her killer. In a video statement, Ashkan voiced his frustration and grief: “You’re quick to accuse protesters of ‘waging war against God’ for setting a trash can on fire, but it’s been 35 days since my wife was murdered, and there’s been no response.”
Somayyeh’s death has left her family and her community grieving and demanding justice. She now stands as a symbol of the vulnerability faced by Iranian women—especially those from marginalized communities—who dare to defend their rights and dignity.
