Maryam Faraji's Lawyer Reports Identification of Her Body and Arrest of Murder Suspect

The lawyer of Maryam Faraji, a civil activist who went missing about 10 days ago, told Radio Farda that based on evidence confirmed by Faraji's family, the discovered body belongs to her, and one person has been arrested as a murder suspect. Mohammad Hossein Aghasi, Faraji's lawyer, stated on Saturday evening, July 23, that the family identified the body through 'marks on the neck and teeth of the deceased.' According to the same report, no DNA test has been conducted, but the observed signs 'matched what forensic medicine had discovered.' Aghasi referred to Iranian laws and the request from the authorities for him not to discuss details, stating he could not provide more information and could only say that 'one person has been arrested as a suspect and has been interrogated, but has not confessed to committing the murder.' Maryam Faraji, 33, was a master's student in international management and the financial manager of a company in Shahriar, Tehran province. She was arrested during nationwide protests in Iran on December 12 last year and was imprisoned for 10 days in Ward 209 of Evin Prison. The 26th branch of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Mashallah Ahmadzadeh, sentenced her to three years of imprisonment and a two-year travel ban. She was released on bail and was awaiting the verdict of her appeal. Her lawyer, Mohammad Hossein Aghasi, first mentioned the possibility of her murder in several tweets on Thursday, referring to her disappearance. He also stated that 'her potential murder is in no way the responsibility of the authorities and legal bodies.' Aghasi had previously told Radio Farda that Maryam Faraji left her father's house in Sarpol-e Zahab, located in Kermanshah province, heading to Tehran on Thursday, July 14, and thereafter there has been no information about her. Earlier, some social media users reported the discovery of a burned body next to Maryam Faraji's car, but Iranian officials have not commented on this matter.