Nasrin Ghaderi

Nasrin Ghaderi(April 1, 1987 – November 4, 2022)

Nasrin Ghaderi was an Iranian PhD student in philosophy at Allameh Tabataba'i University and is counted among those killed during the 2022 nationwide protests in Iran.
She completed her bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 2008 and continued her academic path in the same field. In 2010, following an altercation with Iran’s morality patrol, she was detained for one week and later released on bail; she was also temporarily banned from leaving the country. After her studies, she lived independently in Tehran, working while remaining engaged in social and political activities.
In 2022, following the death of Mahsa Amini, widespread protests erupted across Iran. Nasrin Ghaderi took an active role in demonstrations in Tehran. Just days before her own death, she wrote an emotional text in response to the killing of Nika Shakarami, reflecting her critical perspective and deep emotional response to the situation in the country.
On November 4, 2022, during the protests, human rights organizations reported that she was severely injured after being struck on the head with batons by security forces. She was transferred to a hospital in Tehran, where she later died from the severity of her injuries. Other accounts suggest that security forces entered her residence, a confrontation occurred, and she sustained fatal head trauma there; these reports also claim that the scene was later arranged to present her death as natural, and that her electronic devices were confiscated.
After her family was unable to reach her, her brother went to her apartment and found her lifeless body. Emergency services were contacted, and she was taken to a hospital, where her death was confirmed. Her body was then transferred to the forensic medical center, where the cause of death was officially listed as “undetermined.”
Her family reportedly faced significant pressure from security authorities. Her father was allegedly compelled to give a statement attributing her death to an underlying illness, a condition set for the release of her body. The family was only allowed to see her face briefly, while her body had already been prepared for burial.
Her body was transported from Tehran to Marivan under heavy security escort. The burial took place under strict surveillance, with authorities warning the family that the مراسم must be conducted quietly and without public presence.
Despite these restrictions, on the night of her burial, residents of Marivan gathered in the streets, lit fires, and chanted slogans in protest. In the following days, widespread strikes and demonstrations took place in the city, leading to clashes with security forces and dozens of reported injuries.
Nasrin Ghaderi’s death, like that of many others during that period, was accompanied by conflicting narratives. While official sources cited alternative causes such as illness, independent observers and human rights groups attributed her death to violent actions by security forces during the protests.