Samira, who previously worked in cosmetics sales in Iran, has transformed into an activist after her 16-year-old daughter, Sevda, was killed by security forces. Sevda was participating in protests against Iran's government that began earlier in the year. Samira described her daughter as being inspired by Mahsa Amini and Nika Shakarami, young women who died during previous uprisings against Iran's strict Islamic dress code.
On January 9, Samira and Sevda joined demonstrations on the outskirts of Tehran, which had been ignited by economic discontent and evolved into calls for the end of the Islamic Republic. Samira stated that a shoot-to-kill order was issued by the Iranian government that day, a threat she initially dismissed as hollow amid widespread government disinformation. Despite reassurances from then-US President Donald Trump that the U.S. would support protesters, Samira noted the increased presence of security forces, including the IRGC and Basij paramilitary volunteers.
During the protest, Samira recounted that a sniper fired from a rooftop, hitting Sevda in the chest. She described the harrowing moment her daughter lay dying, bleeding from her mouth and nose. After managing to get Sevda to a hospital, Samira was later informed of her daughter's death and Sevda's body was placed in a zipped bag. It took Samira days to locate her daughter's body among numerous others at a Tehran morgue. She reported that Sevda's body was found with three other bodies piled on top of it.
To retrieve Sevda's body for burial, Samira claims she was coerced into stating that "terrorists", not security forces, were responsible for her daughter's death, an act she believes was a cover-up by authorities. She was subsequently prevented from visiting the grave or erecting a tombstone. Samira also alleged that she was approached by the Ministry of Intelligence and offered financial incentives, including a house, if she would publicly state that Sevda was a Basiji killed by protesters. Samira refused, stating she would not "trade with my child's blood."
Following this, Samira fled Iran on foot, traversing mountains and rivers, and now lives abroad in hiding. She has become a "one-woman army fighting the regime," identifying members of the security forces and officials she believes were responsible for fatal shootings during the protests. In response to her efforts, she has been charged in absentia with offenses including "moharebeh," or waging war against God, which carries the death penalty.
Samira's family and friends, who held a vigil for Sevda's birthday in Iran, were reportedly arrested by the IRGC. Her family was also allegedly warned that Sevda's body would be exhumed if they continued to gather at the grave. The BBC noted that Iranian authorities acknowledge over 3,000 deaths in the protests, while one human rights group, Hrana, estimates more than 7,000 fatalities. Despite the grave risks, Samira remains determined to expose those she holds responsible, seeking justice for her daughter and the many other young people she believes were killed.