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Parisa Bahmani, a 52-year-old general surgeon from Zanjan, became a tragic figure in the narrative of Iran’s protests against its theocratic regime. On October 25, 2022, during a gathering of doctors in Tehran to protest government policies, she was fatally wounded by security forces. The doctors were protesting against the government’s prevention of medical care for wounded protesters, the use of ambulances to transport security forces, and the militarization of hospitals. Bahmani was shot in the head and succumbed to her injuries two days later. The protests, part of a national uprising, were sparked by broader grievances against the regime, including the enforcement of strict dress codes for women​​​​​​​​​​.

Following her death, there was a subsequent round of protests by doctors outside the Medical Council buildings across Iran. Reports indicate that security forces pressured Bahmani’s family to deny her participation in the protest, and official narratives attempted to dismiss the cause of her death as unrelated to the protests. Despite these efforts, the medical community and the wider public have continued to rally, highlighting the risks faced by medical professionals and protesters alike under the regime’s crackdown on dissent​​.

Bahmani’s death is emblematic of the wider violence and repression faced by protesters and medical professionals in Iran, who have found themselves targeted by state security forces. The international community, including Iranian expatriates and human rights organizations, has condemned the violence and called for accountability and the protection of basic human rights in Iran​​​​​​​​.