Negating Neda: Iranian Government Seeks to Erase Memory of Iranian Martyr

Acting true to it authoritarian form, the Iranian government is seeking to erase evidence of Neda Solton, the 26-year-old woman who died during protests when government forces used live rounds to disperse crowds.

Officials have ordered the family to take down mourning posters and have barred any gatherings in her name. They have even blocked the family from holding a public burial or memorial service.

Nevertheless, posters have started to appear around the city and the effort to block internet access has not been entirely successful. In the meantime, most of the media has been blocked from even mentioning her name. One of the few references on television claimed to have debunked the story and suggested that the scene was staged, here.

She was shot when she was walking to a demonstration in Freedom Square in central Tehran. As the video below depicts, she died on the street. Her last words were: “I’m burning! I’m burning!”

Tributes have been posted on Youtube to Neda:

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