Dr. Zahra Fazili, a 38-year-old medical doctor, was fatally wounded on the evening of January 8 when forces opened fire from within a religious facility in the southern port city of Bushehr, the London-based broadcaster reported, citing video evidence submitted to its newsroom. Security personnel allegedly targeted the physician during intensified suppression operations that have seen thousands killed since nationwide protests erupted in late December.Her memorial service was conducted under heavy security pressure, Iran International reported, as authorities attempt to control public mourning rituals that might catalyze further demonstrations against the Islamic Republic's violent response to the economic crisis-triggered uprising.
The killing occurred on what human rights monitors describe as the deadliest night of the unrest, with independent investigations documenting over 30,000 fatalities nationwide during the January 8–9 massacres, figures that sharply contrast with the government's official claim of 3,117 deaths. Fazili's death illustrates the indiscriminate nature of the violence, which sources say was authorized under military orders granting "full authority" and "blank checks" to deploy maximum force against demonstrators.
The physician's case adds to growing documentation of state violence occurring in religious and civilian spaces, compounding the difficulty of verification amid an unprecedented internet blackout that has reduced national connectivity to approximately one percent of normal levels for more than two weeks. With communications severely restricted, family members and local activists have increasingly relied on international outlets to transmit video evidence and witness accounts circumventing domestic censorship.
Photo and Video: Iran International