By:Rezvan Moghaddam

 Date of Incident: Tuesday, June 17, 2025
 Location: Javanroud, Kermanshah Province, Iran
 Victim: Mehri Abdolghaderi, 25 years old
 Perpetrator: Yahvar Salehi (her husband)
In one of the most brutal forms of domestic violence, 25-year-old Mehri Abdolghaderi
was attacked with acid by her husband, Yahvar Salehi, in the city of Javanroud. The
horrific assault took place in front of their eight-year-old son, who was also injured in the
hand during the attack.
Mehri had previously fled to her parents’ home due to ongoing conflict, but after
pressure and mediation from extended family elders, she was persuaded to return
home. Just hours after her return, she was assaulted with a container of acid. She has
now lost sight in one eye and is hospitalized in Golestan Hospital in Kermanshah.
Medical sources report that her condition is critical.
This is not the first case of acid attacks against women in Kermanshah province, an
symbol of patriarchal violence. In 2012, Zivar Parvin and her 18-year-old daughter,
Yasra, were also attacked with acid in this region by Zivar’s brothers-in-law. Her “crime”:
refusing to marry her late husband’s brother. Yasra lost her life in that attack, and Zivar
was left completely blind and severely disfigured. Thirteen years later, she still wanders
the halls of the court system without justice.
There is no specific law in Iran addressing acid attacks or broader gender-based
violence. These crimes are not distinctly criminalized, and perpetrators are not met with
clear or deterrent punishments. This legal vacuum is a key factor in the repetition of
such atrocities.
More than 12 days after Mehri’s family filed a formal complaint, the perpetrator
continues to walk freely in the city—unapologetic and not arrested. This inaction is not
just a denial of justice for the victim, but a tacit encouragement to other perpetrators.
Forcing women to return to abusive homes under the guise of “reconciliation” or “saving
face” endangers their lives. Mehri became a victim of this corrupt culture of “tolerating
abuse instead of protecting women.”

Like so many others, she fled, sought refuge, was pressured into returning, and was
met with punishment, in the form of acid. Her eight-year-old son, a direct witness to this
crime, now faces a lifetime of trauma.
Call to Action by the Stop honor Killings Campaign
We demand:
 Immediate, transparent, and public investigation of this case by police and
judiciary
 Full disclosure of the victim’s identity to raise public awareness and support
 Inclusion of clear legal provisions to prohibit and punish severe gender-based
violence, including acid attacks
 Creation of a national database for unidentified and unprotected victims of
violence
 Immediate passage of a comprehensive law protecting women from violence
 Training for judges, law enforcement, and media on the nature and scope of
gender-based violence
 Establishment of safe houses for women at risk
 Creation of a real-time emergency alert and protection system for women under
threat
 Strengthening support services and ensuring fast, free access to legal aid for
women seeking divorce

StopHonorKillingsCampaign

SafetyForWomen

WomenHaveTheRightToLive

NoToViolenceAgainstWomen

IslamicRepublicIsResponsible

NoToControlOverWomen’sBodies

NoToMisogynisticCulture

PatriarchyKills

IranWithoutViolence

Follow news in the Stop honor Killings Campaign Telegram group:

https://t.me/stophonorkilling
Support the Stop honor Killings Campaign with Your Donations via PayPal:
https://paypal.me/stophonorkillings?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US

Stop honor Killings Campaign