The resurfaced news of a teenage girl who was forced to marry at the age of 12 and was tragically k*lled by her husband in Iran has reignited anger across the internet.
Mona Heydari, a 17-year-old mother-of-one, was taken from outside her family home in Ahvaz, Iran, and d*capitated by her husband and his brother in 2022. Her husband was later seen walking down the street holding her head.
Highlights
- Mona Heydari was just 17 when she lost her life in a brutal act committed by her husband.
- She had been forced into marriage at 12 and gave birth to her son at 14.
- Her husband received a short sentence after Mona’s parents chose not to pursue retribution.
Mona’s husband has received a sentence of only eight years.
Mona tried to escape her husband but was brought back
Image credits: Unsplash/ Artin Bakhan
Mona’s story drew widespread h*rror not only for its br*tality, but for what preceded it. At just 12 years old, she was married off to her cousin, Sajjad Heydari.
By 14, she gave birth to a son. Local reports stated that Mona fled to Turkey with another man in a desperate bid to escape her ab*sive marriage.
Her father, who was identified as Javid, used Interpol to track her down and convinced her to return to Iran. According to a BBC report, Mona reportedly received assurances from her family that she would be safe if she went home.
She was later reunited with her husband. Soon after, Mona lost her life.
Image credits: ILNA
Disturbing footage later emerged showing Sajjad smiling as he walked down the street with Mona’s s*vered head in one hand and a knife in the other.
The clip caused an uproar online, with netizens immediately expressing shock at the barbarity of the crime.
Mona’s brother-in-law was also sentenced for helping dispose of the 17-year-old’s body, which he wrapped in a blanket and dumped.
Her father defended the marriage and normalized marital a*use
Image credits: ILNA
He told the judge that “She was not forced to marry, and in fact, the husband provided her with the very best of lives.”
He acknowledged that “there was fighting between them, and sometimes there was violence,” but claimed this was nothing unusual.
“These fights between husband and wife are completely normal,” he said.
Image credits: ILNA
Though he later admitted Mona “may have been too young” for marriage, he insisted that her union with her cousin had been officially sanctioned.
“We got a certificate of confirmation that she was physically old enough to marry,” Mona’s father said.
Despite the horror of the crime, Mona’s parents declined to invoke Iran’s Islamic law of retribution, which would have paved the way for a harsher sentence.
As a result, Sajjad received only seven and a half years for Mona’s m*rder, plus eight months for a*sault. His brother received just under four years for his role in the crime.
Netizens reacted with shock and disgust at Mona’s fate.
“Shame on her own family, shame on her husband's family, shame on the law. She was trying to escape child abuse, and start afresh,” one commenter wrote.
“That poor girl. She didn't deserve that treatment. Obviously, her parents are no better than her husband. She never stood a chance, bless her,” another noted.
Human rights groups call this the latest in a disturbing trend
Image credits: Getty/NurPhoto
Iranian women’s rights advocates say Mona’s story is tragically common.
The Women’s Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) stated that “not a week goes by without some form of honor k*lling making headlines.”
They called out the country’s lack of legal protection for women and girls.
“The clerical regime’s failure to criminalize these m*rders has led to a catastrophic rise in honor k*llings.”
These so-called “family difference” cases are especially common in provinces like Khuzestan, Kurdistan, and Sistan and Baluchestan.
“The catastrophic rise in honor k*llings in Iran is rooted in misogyny and the patriarchal culture institutionalized in the laws and society.
“Although the father, brother, or husband holds the knife, sickle, or rifle, the murders are rooted in the medieval outlook of the ruling regime.”
Image credits: Unsplash/Craig Melville
“The clerical regime's laws officially denote that women are second-degree citizens owned by men,” the NCRI stated.
Netizens reacted to the news of Mona’s fate with shock and grief
