Iranian authorities disputed claims that security personnel killed a 16-year-old girl during protests sparked by the death of a woman in police custody, according to Iranian media on Friday, who claimed she committed suicide by jumping off a roof.
According to social media sources and the rights organisation Amnesty International, Sarina Esmaeilzadeh was killed by security forces after being hit in the head with batons during protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, in morality police custody.
Authorities ascribed a similar cause of death – falling off a roof – to 17-year-old Nika Shakarami earlier this week, who activists allege was slain in Tehran while protesting Amini’s killing.
According to rights groups, more than 150 people have been murdered, hundreds have been injured, and thousands have been jailed in a crackdown on widespread protests that has marked the most serious challenge to Iran’s clerical government in years.
Women have taken centre stage, waving and burning headscarves. High school females have also participated.
According to the semi-official ISNA news agency, the chief justice of Alborz province, where Esmaeilzadeh died, a preliminary inquiry revealed that her death was caused by suicide after falling from the roof of a five-story building.
Chief Justice Hossein Fazeli Herikandi called opposition media accusations regarding her death ‘lies.’ ‘Esmaeilzadeh has a history of suicide attempts, according to her mother’s report,’ he stated. On September 24, police got a complaint of her death, he added.
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