A 19-year-old motorbike influencer has been shot dead as Iranian security forces continue their brutal crackdown against anti-government demonstrators.
This comes as the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps continues its crackdown on protestors demonstrating against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime.
Diana Bahador was reportedly shot twice in Gorgan at around midnight on January 8 whilst demonstrating the Ayatollah’s regime.
Diana, known online as “Baby Rider”, has over 150,000 followers.
A statement announcing her death was initially posted to her Instagram story, claiming that Diana had died in a motor accident. The statement urged followers not to speculate on her cause of death.
However, human rights groups have said that her family was forced to release the statement as part of a deal with Iranian authorities.
A source close to the family said that the Ayatollah’s forces had agreed to return Diana’s body, so long as her family they publicly denied that she was executed.
The Hyrcani Human Rights group said that Diana’s body was returned to her family two days later, The Sun reported.
Diana’s cause of death has been disputed by Iranian state media, who have said Diana’s real name was Shahrzad Mokhami and maintained that she died Jan 22 in a motor crash.
On her Instagram account, Diana often posted videos of herself performing motorbike stunts, without a headscarf on – both of which are illegal for women in Iran.
Diana’s last post, from January 6, shows her wearing motorbike leathers while dancing and riding a motorbike.
Anti-government protests have been sweeping across Iran since December 28, sparked by the collapse of the Iranian rial, and have since turned into widespread demonstrations against the Ayatollah’s regime.
This has been met with a violent clampdown from the government.
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According to new research, more than 33,000 protesters have been killed in just two weeks, with more than 98,000 wounded.
It comes as MPs have urged the Government to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation.
Families in London have spoken of their “agony” as they await news of their loved ones based in Iran, as clashes between protestors and government forces rage on.
