Security was tight at the funeral for a young Iranian woman who had fallen into a coma while in the custody of Iran’s morality police. Her funeral took place in her village of Saghez, in Iran’s Kurdistan Province.
Many people apparently paid their respects to Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old who passed away on September 17. A few days after being arrested for allegedly flouting the country’s hijab regulations, she passed away on September 16.
According to amateur films shared online, many mourners screamed “Death to the dictator.”
Some of the grieving citizens reportedly marched to the governor’s office to express their outrage over her passing.
The police reportedly used tear gas and gunfire to disperse the demonstrators. Kurdistan Human Rights Network, headquartered in Europe, reported 15 injuries and multiple arrests.
“Death to the dictator” chants at funeral for Mahsa Amini who died after slipping into a coma in custody of Iran’s morality police. Her death has led to anger and renewed criticism of the unit that harasses women who challenge the Hijab rule #مهسا_امینی pic.twitter.com/PC9uy837w2
— Golnaz Esfandiari (@GEsfandiari) September 17, 2022
Saghez, along with a number of other cities in Iran’s Kurdistan Province, had complaints of Internet outages.
The death of Amin has sparked significant outrage online, with many users accusing the Iranian government of encouraging violence against women.
Journalists were told by onlookers that Amini looked to have been beaten while being transported to the prison centre in the morality police van.
Mahsa’s mother Mojgan Amini said in an interview with RFE/Radio RL’s Farda that the family had filed a complaint with the Tehran police prior to the news of her daughter’s murder.
She said on Radio Farda, “My kid was in wonderful health before her detention.”
The police department in Tehran issued a statement on September 16 claiming there “was no physical interaction” between cops and Amini.
Amini was escorted to the station to be “educated,” but upon arrival the police claimed he had already suffered a heart attack.
State-run TV broadcast what looked to be CCTV footage of a woman named Amini tripping while standing up to speak to a police officer. RFE/RL could not verify the video.
Iran’s government has been cracking down harder on women who are protesting the mandatory headscarf regulation, which was instituted after the 1979 revolution.
On September 16th, Human Rights Watch (HRW) called for “a transparent investigation” into Amini’s killing and urged the Iranian government to do away with the compulsory hijab law and any other legislation that violates women’s rights.
On September 16th, the White House stated that Amini’s death was “unforgivable.”
The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was allegedly abused in prison by Iran’s morality police, has caused us great anxiety. The way she died is inexcusable. National security assistant to President Joe Biden, Jake Sullivan, tweeted, “We will continue to hold Iranian authorities accountable for such human right abuses.”
We are deeply concerned by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was reportedly beaten in custody by Iran’s morality police. Her death is unforgivable. We will continue to hold Iranian officials accountable for such human right abuses. #MahsaAmini مهسا_امینی#
— Jake Sullivan (@JakeSullivan46) September 16, 2022
