With the video of Neda becoming a major focus of the Iranian protests it seemed as if a lot of people – myself included – forgot to ask the question “What about the others in the video?”

No, they did not suffer in the same as Neda. The world did not watch the life drain from their eyes, but they were all impacted one way or another. That sad, what about the others in the video? How has life changed for them?

I’ve been unable to find specific information regarding her music teacher but I did find this bit about Dr. Arash Hejazi, the man who came to her aid.

Hejazi, 38, said he fled from Iran when the video footage sped around the world on websites because he feared his own life might be in danger as he could be seen with Soltan.

Before trying to leave, he said he emailed a friend in Britain to say he hoped to join his family in the university city of Oxford where he was studying: “If something happens to me, please take care of (my wife and son).”

A man who went to Iran on business had to leave the country for fear of his life. Will he ever be able to travel back without feeling as if he is a target? Who knows? Will the memories of the event ever leave him? No.

Bottom line: while Dr. Hejazi didn’t lose his life, some small part of him died that day as well – he gets to live with that event haunting him emotionally or physically for the rest of his life.

With the situation in Iran changing in a matter of seconds it’s hard for the press to confirm stories coming to the surface.  Keeping that in mind the Guardian couldn’t verify that this is truly the case, but if it is… we are talking about truly adding insult to injury.

Iranian officials have kicked Neda Agha Soltan’s family out of their home in Tehran.  Yes, I kid you not. Officials kicked them out after the pictures of Neda showed the world what was really going on in the country and Neda became the symbol of the potential revolution.

How worried were the police about drawing attention to the situation – so much so they forbid the family to display any signs of mourning.  No funeral.  No black banner.  No ceremony of any type.

Amid scenes of grief in the Soltan household with her father and mother screaming, neighbours not only from their building but from others in the area streamed out to protest at her death. But the police moved in quickly to quell any public displays of grief. They arrived as soon as they found out that a friend of Soltan had come to the family flat.

In accordance with Persian tradition, the family had put up a mourning announcement and attached a black banner to the building.

But the police took them down, refusing to allow the family to show any signs of mourning. The next day they were ordered to move out. Since then, neighbours have received suspicious calls warning them not to discuss her death with anyone and not to make any protest.

All I know is this… This is the proverbial powder keg. The stories I hear coming out of Iran are more and more aggressive, more disturbing. From the lethal force utilized on protesters to the treatment of the families of the dead, this is all really starting to build to a breaking point. Either something major happens in the direction of the protesters very soon or the government crushes their will and the events are never spoken about again in public.  I just fear the government will crush – no erase – the protesters from the pages of history.

For several days now, I’ve posted updates regarding the events in Iran. I have a great amount of hesitation in posting this, however; if one really wants to know what is going on with the protests, one cannot look away simply because the truth is ugly, vile or disturbing.

That said, I give you a video of a young Irania protester by the name of Neda and the last seconds of her life.

This video is very disturbing.

If you have ANY hesitation, if you DO NOT want to see a graphic scene created – apparently – by the Basij, an Iranian paramilitary force, DO NOT watch (LAST WARNING) this video…

This young woman, Neda, is the face of the Iranian revolution.

UPDATE on 6/21/09: The LA Times is covering it now, and check out the action on Twitter about her and it appears the video is now being shown on CNN.

UPDATE #2 on 6/21/09: Here is the Wikipedia entry for her.

UPDATE #3 on 6/21/09: Apparently her name was Neda Agha Soltan (also going by Neda Soltani)

UPDATE #4 on 6/22/09: La Figa has an email from an individual apparently from one of the people who tried to help Neda (from Andrew Sullivan)> Not confirmed but worth a read.

At 19:05 June 20th
Place: Karekar Ave., at the corner crossing Khosravi St. and Salehi st.

A young woman who was standing aside with her father watching the protests was shot by a basij member hiding on the rooftop of a civilian house. He had clear shot at the girl and could not miss her. However, he aimed straight her heart.

I am a doctor, so I rushed to try to save her. But the impact of the gunshot was so fierce that the bullet had blasted inside the victim’s chest, and she died in less than 2 minutes.

The protests were going on about 1 kilometers away in the main street and some of the protesting crowd were running from tear gass used among them, towards Salehi St.

The film is shot by my friend who was standing beside me.

Please let the world know.

UPDATE #5 on 6/22/09: The “Guardian Council” is now admitting more than 100% of the vote was counted in a number of cities. Still does not help Neda at this point.

UPDATE #6 on 6/22/09: iReport has a picture of her grave, and it sounds like the government played the censorship card on this as well.

UPDATE #7 on 6/22/09: Neda’s fiance, Caspian Makan, spoke with BBC Persian about her Neda’s death. Good read. I find the following paragraphs to be sad:

On Monday afternoon, we had planned to hold a memorial service at the mosque.

But the authorities there and the paramilitary group, the Basij, wouldn’t allow it because they were worried it would attract unwanted attention and they didn’t want anymore trouble.

The authorities are aware that everybody in Iran and throughout the whole world knows about her story. So that’s why they didn’t want a memorial service. They were afraid that lots people could turn up at the event.

So as things stand now, we are not allowed to hold any gatherings to remember Neda.

Update #8 on 6/23/09: More from Caspian Makan, her fiance, saying Neda was caught up in the protest:

“She was near the area, a few streets away, from where the main protests were taking place, near the Amir Abad area. She was with her music teacher, sitting in a car and stuck in traffic,” it quoted him as saying. “She was feeling very tired and very hot. She got out of the car for just a few minutes.”

Update #9 on 6/23/09: Iran sent letters to mosques banning collective prayers for Neda.

Update #10 on 6/23/09: Now Caspian Makan, the reported boyfriend/fiance of Neda, is saying he asked her to not go to the protest:

“I tried to dissuade her from going out in the streets because I’d seen in my work as a journalist that, unfortunately, there are a lot of merciless behaviours,”

UPDATE #11 on 6/23/09: Jezebel has an outstanding wrap-up on the events surrounding Neda, including a bit I had not read before – the Iranian press is saying “incident was planned” by protesters.