Iranian Motorbike Influencer 'Baby Rider' Reportedly Killed During Protests; State Media Offers Different Account

Human rights groups say 19-year-old Diana Bahador, known online as "Baby Rider," was shot dead by Iranian security forces in Gorgan on 8 January during nationwide protests. Iranian state media disputes this account, saying a woman identified as Shahrzad Mokhami died in a road crash on 22 January in Golestan province. The conflicting reports and pressure on the family have deepened controversy over the circumstances of her death.

Conflicting Accounts

Baby Rider had 150,000 followers on Instagram

Hyrcani Human Rights reported that Ms Bahador was struck twice by live ammunition around midnight on 8 January and that her body was returned to her family two days later. State-run media say the woman died in a traffic accident on 22 January after losing control of her vehicle and hitting a highway guardrail. Rights groups and a source close to the family say officials conditioned the release of the body on a secret burial and a public denial of government responsibility.

Family Statement and Social Media

Baby Rider, above and below, embraced her love of motorbikes on social media despite women in Iran face a decades-old ban on obtaining licences for them

Ms Bahador’s Instagram posted a story attributing her death to an accident and asking followers not to spread rumours; rights groups contend that the family issued the statement under duress from intelligence authorities. Known online as Baby Rider, she had roughly 150,000 followers and regularly posted videos of motorbike riding and stunts performed without a headscarf — an act that defies Iran’s legal and social restrictions for women.

Protests and Crackdown

Showing off a motorcycle helmet

The demonstrations began in late December 2025 amid a sharp fall in the Iranian rial and rising inflation, initially focused on economic hardship before expanding into broader anti-regime unrest. Rights monitors and witnesses say security forces used heavy weapons, including machine guns, to suppress demonstrations in Gorgan on 8 January, and that the crackdown that night was more intense than previous clashes. Iranian authorities have arrested thousands and signalled a tough judicial response.

Judiciary Response

Protesters block a street during a protest in Tehran on Jan 9 - MAHSA/AFP via Getty Images

Judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Eje'i warned courts to show no leniency to those accused of violence during the protests, saying suspects who "undermine the security of the country" will be dealt with firmly under the law. The warning is part of a broader hard-line posture toward demonstrators and organisers.

International Tensions

Amid rising tensions, the US Navy’s Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group was redirected from the Indo-Pacific and entered the US Central Command area of responsibility in mid-January, transiting the Strait of Malacca and moving toward the Middle East. US media reported that President Donald Trump was considering options on Iran; Tehran responded by stressing confidence in its defenses and warning that foreign deployments would not deter its resolve.

Propaganda And Symbolism

Iranian authorities unveiled a large mural in Tehran’s Enghelab (Revolution) Square depicting an overhead view of an aircraft carrier with damaged aircraft and imagery intended as a warning to foreign powers. The mural featured a slogan roughly translated as, "If you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind."

Note: Details about Ms Bahador’s death remain disputed. The differing accounts — from human rights groups, witnesses and state media — highlight the difficulty of independently verifying events amid the ongoing unrest and information restrictions.

Credit: baby.rideerrrr/Instagram