‘Jamie Oliver of Iran’ beaten to death after arrest at hijab protests
A TEENAGE celebrity chef beaten to death by Iranian security forces was mourned by thousands at his funeral yesterday as experts predicted his killing would trigger even more intense protests against the regime.
Mehrshad Shahidi, dubbed “Iran’s Jamie Oliver”, was killed on Wednesday, the day before his 20th birthday.
It was the 40th day of protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, in police custody. Dr Reza Taghizadeh, an Iranian affairs commentator, claimed his death could cause a “second and even greater wave of national protests”.
Ms Amini died after being arrested in Tehran for allegedly not wearing her hair covering, or hijab, properly.
More than 253 people have been killed by security forces during the demonstrations following her death, human rights organisations say.
Mr Shahidi reportedly died after receiving blows to his skull while in the custody of the intelligence unit of the Revolutionary Guard in the city of Arak.
His family claim officials had pushed them to tell the public that he died from a heart attack.
“Our son lost his life as a result of receiving baton blows to his head after his arrest, but we have been under pressure by the regime to say that he died of a heart attack,” a relative of Mehrshad told Iran International TV in London.
The justice department for the Province of Tehran dismissed the claim.
Mr Shahidi, head chef at the University of Arak, had 25,000 followers on Instagram and was known for videos of his cooking shared on social media. Students described him as popular, energetic and handsome.
Security forces are struggling to contain the protests that are evolving into a broader campaign to end the Islamic republic founded in 1979.
“Death to the dictator,” activists shouted yesterday at a ceremony to mark the 40 days of protests, using a slogan aimed at supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Mourners also gathered yesterday in the southern city of Shiraz to bury the victims of a deadly assault on a shrine. At least 15 people were killed in the attack claimed by Islamic State.
Remarks made by Ebrahim Raisi, Iran’s president, appeared to link the Shiraz attack, one of the country’s deadliest in years, with the protests and “riots” following Ms Amini’s death.
“The intention of the enemy is to disrupt the country’s progress, and then these riots pave the ground for terrorist acts,” he said in televised remarks.
During yesterday’s funeral processions, the crowd also chanted slogans condemning the United States, Israel and Britain for allegedly being “behind the riots”, according to live footage broadcast on state television.