Thread by @katie_polglase

CNN EXCLUSIVE INVESTIGATION: What really happened Nika Shahkarami? New witnesses and videos contradict Iran’s claims about the teen protestor’s death. Thread… 1/9

Our latest investigation with @GianlucaMezzo @ANPour

#Nika

edition.cnn.com/2022/10/27/mid…

Nika went missing after protests on Sept 20 and was later pronounced dead. She has become one of the most known faces in Iran, and joins a growing list of young Iranian women who have tragically lost their lives in recent weeks. 2/9

But Iranian authorities have always denied her death was connected to the protests. With the help of @1500tasvir we analysed 50+ videos from that night and spoke to 6 key eyewitnesses which reveal a very different tale regarding her final hours. 3/9

The video evidence shows that the 16 year old was at the frontline of the protests, throwing rocks directly at riot police, burning headscarves while standing on a bin. Eyewitnesses said she seemed fearless. 4/9

As it gets dark, the police crackdown intensifies and NIka moves away from the protest area, towards Engelab gas station where eyewitnesses saw her making a phone call. 5/9

We geolocated videos to nearby streets showing what appear to be non-uniformed police assaulting and detaining people. One eyewitness told CNN they saw police “hitting women” and putting them in “police vans” 6/9

Then, at 8:37pm, we found the last known video of Nika. She’s hiding behind cars to avoid detection from police standing on the pavement nearby. Shortly after this is filmed, she was seen being detained and bundled into a police van. 7/9

Videos we’ve geolocated to that time and area show security officers were to the north and south of Nika as well as next to her on the pavement. It means that shortly before she was seen being detained, she had become completely surrounded by police. 8/9

The Iranian authorities have offered multiple different explanations for her death: first she was thrown off a roof, then it was suicide. They have not responded to our repeated requests for comment and have not commented on whether Nika was ever detained. 9/9

You can read and watch our investigation here: edition.cnn.com/2022/10/27/mid…

Video piece here: edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2…