19-year-old Celebrity Chef Beaten To Death By Iranian Forces Amid Anti-Hijab Protests
As nationwide protests continue to grip Iran, a young celebrity chef was reportedly kidnapped and beaten to death by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. 19-year-old celebrity chef Mehrshad Shahidi, who was also known as Iran’s Jamie Oliver, was allegedly beaten to death, a day before his 20th birthday.
Thousands gathered for his funeral
His “ruthless” killing triggered an outpouring of grief in Iran, where thousands of people reportedly took to the streets on Saturday during the funeral held for Shahidi.
According to The Telegraph, the 19-year-old was arrested on October 25 during a protest and beaten to death with batons while in the custody of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard in Arak city. He was killed after receiving blows to his skull, however, Shahidi’s family stated that they were pressured to say their son died of a heart attack.
Authorities deny allegations
In no time, the death news went viral on the internet and his fans blamed the Iranian authorities for his death. The Iranian authorities, on the other hand, denied responsibility for the chef’s death. Denying the allegations, Chief Justice Abdolmehdi Mousavi insisted that the teenager’s body had ‘no signs’ of fractures in his arms, legs or skull ‘or any brain injury’.
Another user, who claimed to be Shahidi’s cousin, said, “For #MehrshadShahidi , my innocent 19-year-old cousin, who was killed yesterday in Iran. After work, on his way back to home, he was attacked by tear gas, felt off his motorcycle, and kidnapped …, later on, they called his family to come and receive his dead body..”
A third commented, “Another bright light taken from us. From the city of my Grandfather’s birth. What does it say about government willing to murder it’s youngest and brightest citizens”.
As per an update shared by Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights on Friday, at least 160 protesters, including more than two dozen children, had been killed since the agitation began.
