Tehran, Iran – The judiciary in Iran has taken legal action against several journalists and activists following the release of a report by the BBC. The report alleged that men affiliated with the security forces sexually assaulted and killed a 16-year-old protester named Nika Shakarami. The judiciary has refuted the claims made in the BBC’s investigation, calling it “fake, incorrect, and filled with mistakes.”
The Mizan news agency, operated by the judiciary, criticized the BBC’s report, labeling it as a fabrication that aimed to disrupt the psychological security of society. Although the individuals facing charges have not been identified, two Iranian journalists disclosed that cases have been opened against them.
Mohammad Parsi, one of the journalists, revealed on Twitter that the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office summoned him for publishing an article about Nika Shakarami and the circumstances surrounding her death. Another journalist, Marzieh Mahmoodi, stated that the details of the charges against her remain unknown.
Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi publicly denounced the BBC’s findings, categorizing them as a conspiracy orchestrated by Iran’s adversaries. He claimed that the report was an effort to divert attention from recent political events, such as pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the US and Iran’s recent military actions against Israel.
Nika Shakarami emerged as a prominent figure in the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protest movement that shook Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini in custody in 2022. Nika’s family disputed claims by officials that she committed suicide, alleging instead that she died from head injuries sustained during an altercation.
The BBC’s investigation, published recently, centered around an internal document leaked from the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC). The document detailed the events leading up to Nika’s death, implicating members of a paramilitary group deployed by the IRGC to monitor protests in Tehran.
While the authenticity of Iranian official documents remains in question, the BBC stands by its investigation, asserting that extensive research confirms the accuracy of the information obtained. The IRGC and the Iranian government were given the opportunity to respond to the allegations prior to the report’s publication, but chose not to comment.