Protests have sparked across Iran after morality police reportedly killed a young woman for not wearing a hijab.
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Mahsa Amini,22, was arrested on Sept. 16 in her brother’s car during a visit to relatives in the capital city and died three days later. During her arrest, witnesses aid officers hit Amini on the head with a baton and slammed her against a police vehicle. Officials claim the allegations are false and said Amini died of a heart attack after being taken to a local hospital. However, her father believes she was killed while in custody, and the family filed a complaint.
After learning about the young woman’s death, women started protesting on various social media platforms by cutting their hair and burning their hijabs in public. Public outrage continued to grow after a photo of Amini in a comatose state went viral online, and protestors gathered in Tehran calling for dismantling the Gasht-e Ershad morality police. Internet access was restricted by the government in response to the protestors’ pleas for justice.
Women of Iran-Saghez removed their headscarves in protest against the murder of Mahsa Amini 22 Yr old woman by hijab police and chanting:
death to dictator!
Removing hijab is a punishable crime in Iran. We call on women and men around the world to show solidarity. #مهسا_امینی pic.twitter.com/ActEYqOr1Q
— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) September 17, 2022
This is a small part of the horror that we live every day Because of the mandatory hijab
For the sin of being a girl in an Islamic country#Mahsa_Amini #مهسا_امینی pic.twitter.com/latkm9XUMa— حدیثی که میفرماید: (@H_a_d_i_s_h) September 16, 2022
She is someone’s grandma taking her hijab off joining the protests. If watching this doesn’t melt your heart then what will?#Mahsa_Amini#مهسا_امینی#IranProtests2022#Iran pic.twitter.com/CIaZy73WJn
— Reza Hmd (@reza_a_a) September 21, 2022
In Mashad, #Iran, a police station was set on fire by protestors. Protests continue to take place in Iran after the death, while in police custody, of Mahsa Amini, a woman who was arrested for the removal of her hijab.pic.twitter.com/lf9scttEG4
— Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) September 22, 2022
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During the five-day protest, police officers used tear gas and arrested multiple people among a crowd of thousands. In response to the case, the United Nations released a statement and said Amini’s death is currently under investigation. “The tragic death of Mahsa Amini and the allegations of torture and ill-treatment must be promptly, impartially, and effectively investigated by a competent and independent authority,” said United Nations Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada al-Nashif.
The UN also received videos of violent acts toward women by the Morality Police. Most of these cases involve women targeted for not dressing in their hijabs properly in public.