Femicide in Sarpol-e Zahab: 16-year-old Sarina Rostami murdered for refusing a forced marriage

Hengaw – Thursday, October 23, 2025

Sarina Rostami, a 16-year-old girl from Sarpol-e Zahab in Kermanshah Province, was shot dead by a family member after opposing a forced marriage and breaking off her engagement.

According to information received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, on Monday, October 20, 2025, Sarina was shot with a hunting rifle by one of her relatives whose identity has not yet been confirmed. She was taken to Shahada Hospital in Sarpol-e Zahab, where she died hours later due to the severity of her injuries.

Rostami, a first-year high school student, was attacked after returning home from school for expressing her opposition to a forced marriage arranged by her family.

Despite repeated inquiries by Hengaw in recent days, the family has declined to provide any information regarding the circumstances of the killing.