Aylar Zaherpour Age: 12
Murdered: April 3, 2025
Residence: Sorkhak, Eslamabad-e Gharb, Kermanshah
Origin: Iran
Perpetrator: Father
On April 3, 2025, 12-year-old Aylar Zaherpour was murdered in Sorkhak, near Eslamabad-e Gharb in Iran’s Kermanshah province, by her father, Kiomars Zaherpour. Aylar, the child of divorced parents, lived with her father, who had custody. Kiomars shot his daughter with a hunting rifle because she had been in contact with her mother. Shortly after the murder, he attempted to take his own life using the same weapon and was admitted to a hospital in critical condition.
Honor-based violence remains a widespread issue in Iran, partly due to Article 301 of the Islamic Penal Code. This law allows for reduced sentences if the victim’s family forgives the perpetrator, which in some cases results in minimal punishment for fathers who murder their daughters.