On October 11, 2025 (19 Mehr 1404), Zahra Ghaemi, a researcher and lecturer in the Women and Family Studies Department at the University of Tehran’s Faculty of Social Sciences, was brutally killed in her Tehran home.
Kabul 24: The 38-year-old, known for her advocacy for women’s rights and efforts to combat domestic violence, was strangled by her husband while asleep.
This heartbreaking incident has left the academic community and women’s rights activists in shock and grief.
According to the West Tehran Criminal Investigation Police, Ghaemi’s husband has been detained as the primary suspect. Initial investigations point to severe family disputes as the motive.
Ghaemi’s 12-year-old daughter from a previous marriage, who was not home that night, escaped the tragedy.
The suspect has not yet confessed, and investigations continue to determine details, including the possibility of poisoning or strangulation.
Zahra Ghaemi was a prominent scholar in domestic violence and women’s rights, publishing numerous works on the cultural and legal barriers to protecting women. Her colleagues at the University of Tehran, including Shiva Alinaghian, described her as a dedicated educator and advocate.
This tragedy underscores a bitter irony: a woman who devoted her life to fighting violence against women became a victim of the same violence she sought to eradicate.
The murder sparked widespread outrage on social media under the hashtag Zahra_Ghaemi. Activists renewed calls for the passage of a long-delayed bill to protect women from domestic violence, stalled for 15 years.
Since the start of 1404, numerous femicide cases have been reported in Iran, highlighting the urgent need for legal reform.The academic community and activists are demanding justice for Zahra Ghaemi and a critical review of laws to protect women.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the pervasive issue of domestic violence in Iran, urging immediate action to address systemic failures in safeguarding women.
