The Iranian nation mourns the loss of Armita Geravand, a young, talented athlete and painter who met a tragic end under highly controversial circumstances.
She was laid to rest amidst an atmosphere of tension on Sunday, October 29, 2023, in Tehran’s Behesht-e Zahra Cemetery. Family members of the deceased faced immense pressure from state security forces to conduct the burial in Tehran. In a poignant remark from a relative, they stated, “Although we reside in Tehran, we do not bury our deceased in Tehran.”
Images from the burial site reveal a daunting show of force by the state. The number of plainclothes agents and State Security forces present in section 99 of Behesht-e Zahra greatly outnumbered the mourners. In an alarming development, two relatives and several unidentified women were detained during the ceremony. One of the detainees was identified as Mohammad Geravand, a dismissed teacher and acquaintance of Armita.
Metal barriers, erected by the security forces, encircled the burial site, keeping mourners at bay. Videos captured attendees chanting, “This perished flower is a gift to the homeland.”
Night fell, but the country’s grief and anger didn’t subside. Protests erupted across multiple cities, including Tehran, Karaj, and Shiraz, following the news of Armita’s demise. In Tehran, residents voiced their anguish with slogans like “Armita Geravand, your path continues.” Disturbingly, in Saadat Abad district, voices resonated with cries of, “Death to the child-killing regime” and “I will kill, anyone who killed my sister.”
The Ekbatan Township, previously active during the 2022 Iran protests, reawakened with chants demanding the end of the regime and justice for Armita.
On October 1, Armita and her friends were brutally assaulted by a Hijab patrol in a Tehran metro subway for reportedly not covering their hair. Eye-witness accounts described Armita’s severe injuries, notably a bleeding head wound. She was rushed to Air Force Fajr Hospital, which was promptly besieged by security personnel.
Armita’s paintings: On the left, a self-portrait, and on the right are her paintings on the school walls.
In a suspicious turn of events, doctored metro CCTV footage was released, but notably absent were clips from the camera inside the subway carriage. Armita’s parents were denied access to their critically injured daughter, and their brief visitations were heavily surveilled.
Weeks of uncertainty and contradicting reports plagued the nation, culminating in the gut-wrenching announcement on October 28, 2023, of Armita Geravand’s death.Her passing stands as a stark reminder of the nation’s call for justice, human rights, and freedom.
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