Who Was Hadis Najafi? Iranian Woman Shot Dead During Protests

20-year-old Hadis Najafi was shot and killed by Iranian security forces as protests broke out over the death of Mahsa Amini following her arrest by the morality police. Outrage was triggered after Najafi was killed by security forces during the protests.

Mahsa Amini died in the custody of the morality police after she was detained for not wearing her hijab in the “proper” way. Women took to the streets to protest her death, cut off their hair, and burned hijabs.

According to Iran’s state media, at least 41 people, including police officers and security forces have been killed since the protests began. Human rights groups say the actual death toll is much higher than 41. Hadis Najari was one of the protestors who was killed after Iran's security forces open fired with live ammunition.

Crackdowns against the protests include internet restrictions and the use of live ammunition. The internet monitoring group Netblocks said disruptions were detected in mobile networks and access to social media platforms has been blocked.

According to officials, Iran has arrested more than 1,200 protestors, including journalists and activists.

Who Was Hadis Najafi?

• Hadis Najafi took to the streets to protest Iran’s strict hijab laws and was killed after she was hit by several bullets.
• She was reportedly struck in the chest, face, and neck with bullets fired indiscriminately by security officials.
• Iranian journalist and activist Masih Alinejad posted a video of Najafi’s funeral and described her as a kind-hearted girl who loved dancing.
• Alinejad quoted Najafi’s sister, “She was only 20 years old. Her heart was broken for Mahsa Amini. She said she would not stay silent. They killed her with six bullets.”
• The late Najafi was a prominent figure on social media platforms Instagram and TikTok. A video of Najafi preparing to join a demonstration and typing her hair into a ponytail had gone viral.
• Protests in Iran continued despite the crackdown on protests by police authorities and security forces. There have been multiple reported incidents of security forces open firing at protestors. Najafi was one of the protestors killed in the suppression.
• Reportedly, Najafi was taken to Ghaem Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Hacked medical records confirmed that the 20-year-old died after suffering from swelling of the brain.

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