Death Of Iran's Social Media Celebrity Chef Amid Hijab Protest Sparks Even More Anger

28/10/2022

Iran experienced the Islamic Revolution in 1979, which brought huge changes to what was known as Persia.

One of the biggest changes, is the law that govern how women should dress. In the old Shah, hijab and headscarves were forbidden. After the revolution, the new Islamic authorities imposed a mandatory dress code that required all women to wear the hijab.

Since then, women are required to cover their heads when going to public places, and should never reveal or leave their bare skin uncovered, aside from the face and hands. While Iranians know their rights and what the laws are, a more recent crackdowns of officials and businesses on women who fail to wear hijab literally angered the women in the country.

As a result, Iranian women protested, and also take things to the streets to protest the hijab laws altogether.

Read: The Anti-Hijab Social Media Campaign Where Iranian Women Remove Their Hijab In Public

Thousands of Iranians marched towards the gravesite of Mahsa Amini
Thousands of Iranians marched towards the gravesite of Mahsa Amini, the young woman killed in police custody, on the 40th day of mourning.

The women were shown defying the government’s forced dress code, by walking to public places without wearing any head covering.

The climax happened when Mahsa Amini was allegedly killed.

Just when the anti-hijab protests in several parts of Iran entered its seventh week, hundreds of people have lost their lives across the country.

And this time, a 19-year-old celebrity, Mehrshad Shahidi, also lost his life.

He passed away on October 26, 2022, in police custody at Iran's Revolutionary Guard in Arak city, a day before his 20th birthday, according to reports.

According to his family, Shahidi died after receiving blows to his skull at the IRGC Intelligence’s detention center, they told the media.

"Our son lost his life as a result of receiving baton blows to his head after his arrest, but we have been under pressure by the regime to say that he has died of a heart attack."

The Iranian authorities dismissed this claim, and denied killing the celebrity chef, who was at the time under custody, after attending the anti-hijab protest.

Mehrshad Shahidi
Mehrshad Shahidi

Officials said that "there are no signs of fractures in the arms, legs, skull, or any brain injury."

Deputy Governor of the province, Behnam Nazari, was quoted as saying that "the rumors are being spread by anti-Iran media, but no bullets have been shot at Mehrshad Shahidi."

The head of the Justice Department for the Province of Tehran, cleric Abdolmehdi Mousavi, has also dismissed the family’s comments.

Shahidi, who was often referred to as Iran’s Jamie Oliver, had 25,000 followers on Instagram, and frequently shared videos of himself cooking.

Shahidi who was a students at the University of Arak, also worked as a chef.

Many of his fans and followers described him as a “popular man” who was “energetic and handsome”.

Whatever was that killed Shahidi, the lost of his life triggered another wave of national protests against the regime, in the same manner Mahsa Amini's death did.

Just when riots across Iran happened in response to Mahsa Amini's heinous death, which occurred after she was beaten to death by the Iran's Revolutionary Guard for failing to wear the country's strict hijab requirements, the death of another youth of the nation sparked yet another motivation for many Iranians to continue the protest.

Shahidi funeral took place on the 40th day since the death of Mahsa Amini, a milestone that traditionally marks the end of the mourning period in Islam.

Anticipating the huge surge of people, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Commander Hossein Salami urged citizens to stay home.

"Do not come to the streets! Today is the last day of the riots," Salami said.

But again, many people didn't listen.

Most people who are still in their youths, didn't abide the warning. Tensions boiled over in the western Iran, as thousands flocked to Mahsa Amini’s hometown of Saqez.

Thousands more specifically gathered for Shahidi's burial.

This forced security personnel to allegedly use tear gas to disperse the crowd.

"Everyone who is killed will be supported by thousands more," they chanted, in the face of the authorities.

They could also be heard chanting "Death to America, to Israel, to England" and "The vigilant revolutionary people hates the rioters".

"Death to the dictator," said other activists, using a slogan aimed at supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Read: Iran's Prominent Celebrity Stripped Her Clothes Off On Instagram To Support 'Women, Life, Freedom'