Iran protests: Mother of Nika Shakarami tells of anguish

The parent of a 16-year-old miss allegedly beaten to decease by information forces during protests successful Iran has spoken of her continuing heartache.

In an exclusive interrogation that appears successful a BBC documentary, Nasrin Shakarami says she "cannot hide for a second" what happened to her girl Nika.

Nasrin was speaking to histrion Zar Amir Ebrahimi, who fled Iran successful 2008.

Nasrin besides rejects authorities' claims astir the deaths of protestors: "We each cognize that they are lying."

Nika's was 1 of the astir high-profile deaths during protests successful precocious 2022.

The protests person continued since then, though person go overmuch little aggravated owed to a bloody crackdown by information forces.

The unrest began aft the decease successful custody of Mahsa Amini, a young pistillate who died aft she was detained by morality constabulary successful the superior for allegedly violating Iran's strict rules requiring women to screen their hairsbreadth with a hijab, oregon headscarf.

Four days aft Masha died, Nika was filmed astatine a protestation successful Tehran mounting occurrence to her headscarf.

Videos posted online amusement Nika lasting connected a dumpster arsenic she did so, portion others are heard chanting "death to the dictator" - a notation to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In her interrogation with Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Nasrin says: "Nika was acrophobic astir the injustice and favoritism towards Iranians. She utilized to deliberation astir it a lot.

"She was highly adventurous and fearless. I was ever disquieted astir however bold she was. I was ever acrophobic that thing would hap to her."

Nasrin says she called Nika that time and could perceive protesters astir her.

The communicative Iran has tried to fell from the satellite - the brutal world of the caller thoroughfare protests, told done videos of mean citizens.

Watch connected BBC Two astatine 21:00 connected Thursday 29 June - and afterwards connected BBC iPlayer (UK only)

The interrogation appears successful a documentary, Inside the Iranian Uprising, alongside 350 clips from 100 hours of film, changeable and uploaded by young Iranians.

Footage changeable connected 20 September shows Nika throwing rocks successful the absorption of the police. Another clip recorded that evening shows Nika inactive astatine the protestation taking screen down a car.

She disappeared aft telling a person during a telephone speech conscionable earlier midnight that she was being chased by police.

One eyewitness told CNN past twelvemonth that she saw Nika being taken into custody astatine a protestation by "several large-bodied plainclothes information officers" who bundled her into a car.

That nighttime Nika's Instagram and Telegram accounts were deleted. Her household began to hunt for her and asked the authorities to help, but Nasrin says: "No 1 was giving america immoderate answers."

The household said they yet located her assemblage astatine the Kahrizak mortuary connected 30 September and that they were lone allowed by officials to spot her look for a fewer seconds successful bid to place her.

Nika's maternal aunt, Atash, said successful aboriginal October that officers from Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards told her that Nika was successful their custody for 5 days and past handed implicit to situation authorities.

A decease certificate issued by a cemetery successful Tehran, which was obtained by BBC Persian, states that Nika died aft suffering "multiple injuries caused by blows with a hard object".

The authorities denied immoderate wrongdoing and made inconsistent statements astir her fate.

The Iranian authorities did not respond to the BBC's petition for remark for the documentary.

State TV broadcast a video purporting to amusement Nika returning location aft the protests. Prosecutors went connected to accidental that she had aboriginal jumped oregon been pushed disconnected a building.

Iran's Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) says much than 530 protesters person been killed, including 71 children, and astir 20,000 much person been detained successful a convulsive crackdown by information forces, which person portrayed the protests arsenic foreign-instigated "riots".

Seven protesters person besides been executed pursuing what a UN adept has called "arbitrary, summary and sham trials marred by torture allegations". Dozens much person reportedly been sentenced to decease oregon charged with superior offences.

"They are not taking work for sidesplitting her nor telling america who did it," Nasrin says. "They are not pursuing the case. To whom should we complain?"

Nasrin has previously said Nika's aunt, who made a video connection portion successful detention successful which she said her niece "was killed falling from a building" had been "forced... to marque these confessions".

In the interrogation with Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Nasrin says: "I americium a parent and I loved Nika infinitely. She was the emotion of my life. Losing a kid similar Nika is simply a tragedy.

"I personally person a batch of respect for Nika's bravery and escaped spirit. I judge that we are surviving successful a circumstantial constituent successful past wherever specified events are needed."

From the infinitesimal Nika was born, Nasrin realised that she had an "extraordinary energy", she says.

"I cannot hide for a 2nd what has happened to Nika," Nasrin adds. "Even successful my dreams I beg her to travel and speech to me.

"I lone person 1 hope… that the humor of our children doesn't get trampled upon."