Exposing the Murder of “Amir Mohammad Shahkarmi” Under Islamic Republic Torture

The killing of Amir Mohammad Shahkarmi under torture by the Islamic Republic is a symbol of state repression that does not spare even children and targets them with bullets.

The death of fourteen-year-old Amir Mohammad Shahkarmi is not merely a bitter account of the suppression of protests, but rather a stark sign of a structure in which even children are not safe from lethal violence. This teenager was detained during the protests on December 18th in the city of Qods, and after approximately two months of no contact, his lifeless body was handed over to his family—a body bearing clear signs of deadly violence.

Based on published reports, Amir Mohammad disappeared on the day of the protests. His family conducted a continuous search, visiting hospitals, morgues, and the forensic medicine office, but found no trace of him. This silence was replaced by fragile hope when, two days later, his cell phone was turned on and government officials informed the family that he was alive.

This message, however, was not the truth, but rather part of an ambiguous and deceptive process. The family, following up with judicial institutions, was met with responses that emphasized his being alive, and it was even said that a sentence had been issued for him. In the education system as well, where Amir Mohammad should have been recognized as an eighth-grade student, his file was declared “classified”—a term that has repeatedly been used to conceal the truth.

Sixty days of limbo, anxiety, and waiting finally ended with a call from the forensic medicine office—a call that brought not news of life, but confirmation of death. His body was handed over to the family under the designation “Unknown 11754,” a number that seemed designed to reduce a child’s identity to an anonymous code.

But what the family saw was a truth that screamed louder than any label could conceal. Signs of a “coup de grâce” and direct shooting to the temple, alongside extensive bruising on the body, presented a clear picture of what had occurred: detention, torture, and ultimately murder.

Amir Mohammad’s case, beyond the personal grief of one family, can be analyzed within a broader context. During Iran’s nationwide protests, multiple reports have emerged of direct fire on protesters, including teenagers. International human rights organizations have repeatedly warned about the use of lethal violence against civilians, especially children.

There are also numerous testimonies showing that security forces not only prevented the transfer of the wounded to medical centers, but in some cases even fired at the heads and faces of protesters in medical facilities. While disturbing, this pattern is no longer surprising to many observers.

What makes this case even more shocking is the age of the victim. Amir Mohammad was only fourteen years old—a child who should have been in school, among his classmates and teenage dreams, not in detention and under bullets.

This reality raises serious criticism against a governmental structure in which there is no distinction between protester, civilian, and child. When security agencies detain a teenager, keep his family in the dark for weeks, and finally hand over his body bearing signs of direct fire, one can no longer speak of “mistake” or “accident.” It should be noted that news of the deaths of many protesters has also remained hidden and not been reported by the media for extended periods due to threats against families.

The murder of Amir Mohammad Shahkarmi is not merely one name on a list of victims; it is a document of a bitter reality that continues. This case raises a fundamental question before public opinion: How does a government that claims to protect its people reach a point where it does not hesitate to kill children?

The answer to this question is vital not only for Amir Mohammad’s family, but for the future of a society. Because a society in which children’s blood remains unanswered faces a crisis far deeper than what is visible.