Raheleh Siyavoshi
Age: 26
Stabbed to death: October 2, 2025
Residence: Nahavand, Hamadan Province
Origin: Iran
Children: 1
Perpetrator: Husband

On Thursday, October 2, 2025, 26-year-old athlete and respected Wushu coach Raheleh Siyavoshi from Nahavand was stabbed to death by her husband, Homayoun Siyavoshi. According to local reports, the murder occurred after he forbade her from attending a sports training camp and accused her of having “dishonored” the family. After killing her, he reportedly took his own life.

Raheleh was a promising athlete who had won several national titles and was greatly admired by her students. Only two months before her death, she had given birth to a son. Under social and familial pressure, her family initially claimed she had died in a car accident in order to conceal the true reason — the so-called “honor motive.”

Her funeral took place on October 5, 2025, in Nahavand.

This murder once again exposes the deadly combination of patriarchal control and the so-called concept of “honor,” which remains deeply rooted in parts of Iranian society. The mindset that views women as property — reinforced by discriminatory laws in Iran — continues to claim lives.

Under current Iranian law, a woman’s right to work, travel, or participate in public life still depends on her husband’s permission. As long as such gender discrimination persists, the cycle of violence and so-called honor killings will continue.