Sajjad Heydari's honor killing: Disturbing footage from Iran sheds light on crimes against women

Iranian man Sajjad Heydari was recently seen walking around the streets of the city of Ahvaz holding the severed head of his 17-year-old wife Mona Heydari. The shocking incident was captured on video and widely circulated on social media.

The gruesome footage showed the man grinning while holding his deceased wife’s head in one hand and a machete in the other. Police reported that Mona became a victim of honor killing at the hands of her husband.

Trigger Warning: The following video contains mentions of disturbing content

According to the Women’s Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, Mona was a child bride who was forced to marry her cousin Sajjad when she was just 12 years old. She also gave birth to their child at 14.

The victim reportedly faced domestic abuse and wanted to divorce her husband but was pressured to remain quiet for the sake of her three-year-old son. She later escaped to Turkey but returned to Iran after receiving safety assurances from her family.

However, a few days after Mona’s return, her husband and his brother allegedly tied her hands and massacred her head. They reportedly dumped the victim’s beheaded body before Sajjad Heydari strolled around the streets with her decapitated head.

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Sajjad Heydari’s video sparks outcry againt honor killing

Mona Heydari's murder by Sajjad Heydari led to outcry against honor killing (Image for representation via Getty Images)

Mona Heydari’s brutal murder by her husband Sajjad Heydari was deemed as honor killing after police confirmed the motive behind the crime to be family differences.

The incident left the nation shocked and sparked renewed debate about honor killings and the rising violence against women. According to The New York Post, the Women’s Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran said:

“Not a week goes by without some form of honor killing making headlines. The clerical regime’s failure to criminalize these murders has led to a catastrophic rise in honor killings.”

The council cited a 2019 report by the state-run Sharq Daily newspaper and noted that Iran reports an average of 375 to 450 honor killings every year. The committee argued that the brutal practice is rooted in misogyny, patriarchal culture, and medieval outlook of the ruling regime:

“Although the father, brother or husband holds the knife, sickle or rifle, the murders are rooted in the medieval outlook of the ruling regime. The clerical regime’s laws officially denote that women are second-degree citizens owned by men.”

Social activist Atefeh Baravieh told the Andishey Pouya that nearly 60 women have died in honor killing incidents in the province of Khuzestan in the past two years. She also mentioned that none of the murderers faced legal action as the families refrained from filing lawsuits.

Hadi Ghaemi, Executive Director, Center for Human Rights in Iran, blamed authorities for Mona Heydari’s death and called out the lack of legal rules to ensure the safety of women in the country:

Several people also took to Twitter to share their angered reactions against Sajjad Heydari’s actions and the practice of honor killing in general:

In the wake of Mona Heydari’s murder, female lawmaker Elham Azad told RFE/RL that Iran has “no law with an executive guarantee” to protect women from violence. However, she hoped that the much-awaited legislation on the Protection, Dignity and Security of Women against Violence bill would prevent crimes against women in the future.

The bill was initially passed by then-President Hassan Rohani and his administration in January 2021 but is currently pending to be adopted into law by parliament. The law will reportedly criminalize violence against women, including all actions that lead to “physical or mental harm.”

Aniseh Khazali, Vice President for Women's and Family Affairs, Iran also wrote on social media that the parliament has placed an urgent review of the bill after fixing “shortcomings” following Mona Heydari's killing. She confirmed that Sajjad Heydari and his brother have been held in custody and the judiciary is aiming to announce the most severe punishment for their crimes.