Simay Azadi – Iranian state-linked media reported another shocking case of violence against women after a young woman identified as Maryam Agha Babai was allegedly abducted by an internet taxi driver in Shahrekord and later found murdered.
According to reports published by state media outlets including Rokna and Mehr on May 6, Maryam’s burned body was discovered in a mountainous area near Aqbolagh after she had reportedly been killed in the desert areas surrounding Kakolak village.
The killing triggered widespread anger, with reports indicating that residents gathered in protest outside the governor’s office in Shahrekord following the incident.
The case has once again drawn attention to growing concerns over violence against women in Iran, amid increasing criticism from activists over legal discrimination, weak protections for women, and broader social repression.
According to reports published by the Iranian opposition earlier this year, at least 192 women were killed in Iran in 2025 in cases linked to domestic violence, family-related murders, or so-called honor killings. Many of the victims were reportedly killed by husbands, fathers, brothers, or other male relatives.
Just days before the Shahrekord incident, another woman, identified as Mahsa Barahoui, reportedly died in Saravan after allegedly being beaten, strangled, and set on fire by her husband, according to local reports.
Recent reports by women’s rights groups and activists have also pointed to increasing arrests and pressure against women across Iran in recent months, particularly following continued crackdowns related to social freedoms and mandatory hijab enforcement.
Many activists argue that repeated cases of violence against women, alongside the lack of systemic protections and accountability, have fueled growing public frustration, especially among younger generations in Iran.
The repeated cases of brutal killings have fueled growing public anger in recent years, especially among younger generations and women protesting against social restrictions, violence, and lack of accountability in Iran.