Honoring Sarina Esmailzadeh, Iranian protester and YouTube creator, on her 17th Birthday

Amnesty International: This blog is co-written by Mahsa Alimardani, ARTICLE19 and Nina Navid, Amnesty International UK. A version of this blog appeared on Youtube.

Sarina was one of thousands of children who took part in the unprecedented uprising that swept Iran last year. She was part of a fearless generation. We won't forget Sarina and the at least 43 more children killed by Iranian authorities for demanding a better future.

“Good God, let me give you my life, take me to church,” 16-year-old Sarina Esmailzadeh passionately sang Hozier’s 2013 hit song on a family road trip to the historic city of Kashan. It was her first YouTube video she excitedly titled ”My First Vlog!”. That foreboding moment has now become viral, and instantly recognisable by many, as four months later Sarina would be tragically killed by Iranian authorities on 23 September 2022,  a week into the nationwide popular uprising in the wake of Mahsa Jhina Amini’s death in custody.

Sarina would have turned 17 on 2 July 2023. Her death serves as a reminder of the Iranian authorities’ all-out crack down on protesters, many of whom were children, who fearlessly took to the streets in search of a better future. One without political oppression, inequality and tyranny. The death toll of those unlawfully killed on the streets following the popular uprising that rocked Iran from September 2022 is in the hundreds, with at least 44 individually identified children killed.

Like many, Sarina took to the streets to fight for the dignity, rights and equal treatment of Iranian women and girls. She represents the spirit of resistance among Iran’s courageous Gen Z who continue to lead these protests both on the streets and online. The artist Hozier reflected on the viral clip and Sarina’s brave life and loss. “We talk about freedoms with no understanding of what it means to pay the ultimate price in fighting for it. This brave girl was only sixteen.”

In honor of Sarina’s 17th birthday — despite her tragic absence — the footprint she left behind in her vlogs endures. Sarina’s death serves as a reminder of the courage and ultimate sacrifice of so many protesters who courageously chose to risk everything in the hope of an Iran that will uphold human rights and provide a more secure future.

Sarina's legacy and her generation

Sarina’s online legacy from her YouTube vlogs speaks to the power of the internet and how it enables expression, and in the case of Sarina, facilitates a legacy of dissent alongside the bravery of people like her, daring to dream and stand up for change.

In the midst of this historic moment, what has been poignant has been the bravery and lack of fear displayed by protesters and other dissidents, led mainly by women and youth, and continuing today, ten months into this movement. What started as an outbreak of nationwide protests has evolved into a campaign of mass civil disobedience and political defiance, notably as women and girls en-masse continue to reject one of the core tenets and symbols of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the mandatory hijab.

The revolutionary rallying cry “Woman, Life, Freedom”, which has its origins in the Kurdish feminist movement, continues to be seen and heard across Iran – and indeed across the world.

Whilst state violence remains almost a certainty, the lack of fear against the authorities has been one of the most powerful weapons the Iranian people are wielding against the regime. Part of this bravery are the forms of dissident expression, from protests, to social media posts and videos posted online. This defiance is now the DNA of a generation and movement that has rocked the world.

This is one of the reasons why Sarina and her legacy  are so important – a 16 year old protester who lived an authentic life of hope and bravery, who risked everything for “Woman, Life, Freedom”. While her time as a YouTube creator was brief, what she left behind is rich. In many videos we see, even before the current uprising, she was defying the mandatory hijab laws to navigate public spaces around Iran in little less than bandanas and the quintessential Gen Z bucket hat.

The world seen through Sarina

“My First Vlog!” is packed with internet memes scattered throughout the trip with witty quips between Sarina and her family about aspects of the Islamic Republic they disagreed with. From the mismanagement of some of the historic sites to disbelief at misogynistic religious verses written on the walls of the historic mosques they were visiting, her YouTube oeuvre is a reflection of the everyday life of a thoughtful, intelligent and extremely aware sixteen year old girl.

Well versed in internet culture, memes and sarcasm, but also excited by life, she documented simple pleasures like exploring how to do makeup, or making pizza for her family. In another video, she starts off by declaring “freedom is loading” as she goes into school for her final exams before a short summer break. After her exam she rejoices in her new “freedom” from school and documents a week of enjoying spending time with friends >>>