A Young Life Cut Short for the Dream of Freedom
On October 8, 2022, just weeks into the nationwide uprising in Iran, Negin Salehi, a young woman, was brutally beaten by plainclothes regime agents in Tehran. Their attack was so violent that she joined the countless victims of the uprising before she even reached the hospital.
Negin’s “crime” was joining a demonstration in protest of the death of Zhina Mahsa Amini, standing with young Iranians who dared to demand freedom. Security forces not only prevented her family from holding a memorial ceremony, but they also forced her to be buried in silence in Tehran’s Behesht-e Zahra Cemetery.
Negin Salehi, 27, lived in the Baharestan district of Tehran and worked as an accountant at an audio-visual store. Known for her kindness and friendly nature, she was also a bit shy, endearing her even more to those who knew her.
On that fateful October day, Negin was heading home from work on Jomhouri Street when protests broke out. Without hesitation, she joined the demonstrators. But the regime’s plainclothes agents launched a savage attack on the protesters.
According to witnesses, two plainclothes agents followed Negin, threw her to the ground, and struck her repeatedly on the head with batons. Blood poured from her head, and she lost the strength to defend herself. After the beating, the agents left her lying on the ground.
People in the crowd helped Negin Salehi and took her home. Yet, she experienced severe nausea. Her mother rushed her to the hospital, but on the way, Negin succumbed to her injuries.
Negin Salehi rests now in Behesht-e Zahra Cemetery, Section 5, Row 9. Her life was taken because she dared to dream of a free Iran, and her memory endures as a symbol of courage and sacrifice in the pursuit of justice.
