Who is Mona Heidari? Viral video of man with wife’s severed head shakes Iranians
2 min read
Iranians are deeply shaken by a viral video in which a husband displays his decapitated wife’s head in the street after learning of her alleged adultery.
Reuters reported that police suspect Mona Heidari, 17, was killed by her husband and brother-in-law in Ahvaz, a city in the southwest of Iran.
State news agency IRNA cited local police as saying the two men had been arrested by Monday “after a raid on their hideout”.
As a result of this case, Iran’s vice president for women’s affairs, Ensieh Khazali, called on parliament to take immediate measures. And on authorities to educate the public to prevent such cases from happening in the future.
The killing sparked an outpouring of shock and outrage in Iranian newspapers and social media. With many calling for social reforms.
The Head Of Her Was On Display In The Street
“A human head was decapitated, carried on the streets, and the killer was proud,” reported Sazandegi, the reformist newspaper. We should not accept a tragedy of such magnitude. “Femicide must not be tolerated a second time.”
The renowned feminist filmmaker Tahmineh Milani wrote on Instagram: “Mona was the victim of wicked ignorance. We all contribute to this tragedy.”
Heidari’s murder revived calls for reforming laws protecting women against domestic violence and raising Iran’s marriage age, which is currently set at 13 years old.
Iran’s media claims the victim had a three-year-old son when she was killed. She was only twelve at the time of her marriage.
Paving The Way For Honour Killings
‘Legal loopholes’ are responsible for fostering honour killings, according to lawyer Ali Mojtahedzadeh writing in the reformist newspaper Shargh.
In a statement to the ILNA news agency, a fellow member of parliament Elham Nadaf said, “These incidents are happening because there are no concrete measures.”
Rokna, an Iranian news website, was shut down by authorities after it shared the man’s viral video, IRNA reported. Authorities claimed the site “psychologically disturbed society.”
Another “honour killing” is expected to take place in May 2020 when a man beheads his 14-year-old daughter. His sentence later that year was nine years in prison.
Ankita Khanrah
Ankita Khanrah is a second-year student of the Master of Communication and Journalism (Integrated) programme at the School of Mass Communication, KIIT Deemed University, Bhubaneswar.
