A 19-year-old Iranian motorcycle influencer has been shot dead by security forces, according to reports from IranWire, after she participated in protests against the country's leadership.
Diana Bahadori, who built a following of 144,000 on Instagram under the name Baby Rider, was reportedly shot twice around midnight on January 9. Her family searched for her for two days before authorities returned her body on January 11.
Bahadori's Instagram account showcased her riding superbikes through Iranian streets, videos that displayed both her skill and defiance of the country's restrictions on women. Motorcycle culture exists in a legal gray area for Iranian women, who face strict limitations on public behavior and dress codes under the Islamic Republic's laws.
IranWire reported she had joined anti-Khamenei protests in the nights before her death. Iran has faced recurring waves of dissent against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the clerical establishment, particularly following the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini in morality police custody.
Security forces have responded to protests with lethal force throughout recent demonstrations. Human rights organizations have documented hundreds of deaths during crackdowns, with young people and women facing particular targeting for challenging the regime's authority.
Bahadori's social media presence made her visible in ways that can prove dangerous under authoritarian rule. Influencers who document their lives online create evidence that authorities can use to identify and track protesters.
Her death adds another name to the growing list of young Iranians killed for demanding change. The regime's willingness to shoot a 19-year-old woman for riding motorcycles and joining protests speaks to the violence it will deploy to maintain control.
Baby Rider's Instagram remains active, a monument to a teenager who refused to be invisible.