The graphic video that appears to show the death of Neda Agha Soltan near a rally in Tehran on Saturday became a symbol for protesters in Iran and around the world. Since then, reporters have scrambled to find more information about the 26-year-old and her family. Most public attempts to mourn her were broken up, and a relative told The New York Times that the family held a private ceremony, but was “not allowed to hang even a black banner.” On Wednesday, an unnamed Guardian correspondent reported that Agha Soltan’s family was forced to leave their apartment. The London newspaper got the information from a neighbor, but was unable to confirm this with the family:
Neighbours said that her family no longer lives in the four-floor apartment building on Meshkini Street, in eastern Tehran, having been forced to move since she was killed. The police did not hand the body back to her family, her funeral was cancelled, she was buried without letting her family know and the government banned mourning ceremonies at mosques, the neighbours said….
“We are trembling,” one neighbour said. “We are still afraid. We haven’t had a peaceful time in the last days, let alone her family. Nobody was allowed to console her family, they were alone, they were under arrest and their daughter was just killed. I can’t imagine how painful it was for them. Her friends came to console her family but the police didn’t let them in and forced them to disperse and arrested some of them. Neda’s family were not even given a quiet moment to grieve.”