On Monday, December 16, 2024, the cold winter air cast a gray haze over the sky of
Nahavand. Zahra, a 23-year-old woman, was contemplating a future intertwined with
hopes and fears. For her, motherhood was not just a responsibility but a right over her
own body. Yet, this right turned into a nightmare, one that ultimately claimed her life.
When Zahra discovered she was pregnant, she decided to keep the news from her
husband, Hossein. She feared that revealing her pregnancy might stir chaos in their
lives. However, her secret didn’t last long. Under pressure and threats, Zahra was
forced by Hossein to take a pregnancy test.
When the result came back positive, Hossein’s behavior changed. At first, he pressured
Zahra to terminate the pregnancy, using harsh words that cut deep into her soul.
Despite the emotional pain, Zahra held her ground, carrying countless dreams for her
unborn child. After some time, Hossein pretended to accept her decision to keep the
baby, giving Zahra a fleeting sense of peace. She thought she had softened her
husband’s heart. But the events of that tragic day revealed a different truth. Returning
home from work, Hossein found Zahra in the bathhouse. A conversation that could have
ended with understanding and respect escalated into a heated argument. Zahra tried to
defend her right—her right to her body and her choices. But Hossein, in a fit of rage,
suffocated her.
Zahra’s lifeless body, along with the unborn child who never got a chance to see the
world, was taken to the hospital. Hossein initially claimed it was a gas poisoning
accident, but under interrogation, he confessed to the killing.
This tragedy not only ended Zahra’s life but also served as a painful reminder of how
women’s rights over their own bodies and lives are often ignored in certain societies.
Zahra, like many others, fell victim to violence rooted in the denial of women’s
fundamental rights.

“We have the right to live a life free of violence.”

No_To_Ownership_Of_Women’s_Bodies

DomesticViolence

Women_Are_Not_Honor

Nahavand_Murder_Pregnant_Woman

Zahra

Follow news in the Stop honor Killings Campaign Telegram group:
https://t.me/stophonorkilling
Stop honor Killings Campaign