Protests in Iran - The Ongoing Fight for Freedom
The suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of Mahsa Amini after being detained by Iran’s ‘morality police’ sparked nationwide protests against the country’s strict dress code and its enforcers. Currently, there is no sign that the protests are slowing down after further demonstrations this weekend in defiance of the final warning from the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps that he would bring all protests to an end using any necessary force.
The 22 year old Iranian, Mahsa Amini, was arrested in Tehran on the 13th of September, three days prior to her death, for allegedly failing to comply with the country’s strict hijab regulations. Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, it has been mandatory under Iranian law (which is based on the country’s interpretation of Sharia) for women and children over the age of nine to wear the hijab in public. Women are also required to wear long, loose-fitting clothing to disguise their figures. Allegedly, Mahsa Amini was arrested by the morality police as she had some hair visible under her headscarf. Her death comprises part of a wider Iranian crackdown on women’s clothing that has led to the deaths of other young women and fuelled public outcry.
Eyewitnesses at the scene claimed that Amini appeared to have been beaten by the morality police on route to the detention centre and in police custody. The Tehran Police Department however told a different story of Amini being arrested for re-education about the hijab when she suffered “sudden heart failure”. This version of events is heavily disputed by Amini’s father who vehemently denies she was in bad health and says he was repeatedly prevented from seeing his daughter’s body after her death. Amjad Amini claims the family has been unable to view the autopsy report and he only saw the body once it had been wrapped for burial with only her feet (that were covered in bruises) and face visible. Mehdi Faruzesh, the director general of forensic medicine of Tehran province said in a statement that there was "[n]o signs of injuries to the head and face, no bruises around the eyes, or fractures at the base of Mehsa Amini's skull have been observed."
Protests:
Since the crackdown ordered by Iran’s president, Ebrahim Raisi, that called for stricter enforcement of the country’s mandatory dress code and the subsequent death of Mahsa Amini, protests against religious rule have spread like never before. At her funeral in Saqqez women removed their headscarves in solidarity, leading to a surge in protests across all 31 Iranian provinces. Videos have shown women cutting their hair in unity, publicly removing and burning their headscarves and chanting “Woman, life, freedom”. It is clear that these protests have a deeply political nature that has progressed from focusing purely on the issue of women’s rights with many now demanding “Death to the dictator”, referencing the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The authorities have attempted to suppress the demonstrations with force, notably firing live rounds and using tear gas on the thousands of mourners gathered near the grave of Mahsa Amini on the 40-day anniversary of her death. Seemingly this has triggered a new wave of protests with intense clashes between protestors and security forces taking place in Zahedan this weekend. Similarly, in defiance of the final warning given on Saturday by the Head of the Revolutionary Guards, students and thousands of others turned up to protest only to be met with more teargas and gunfire.
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO), a Norway-based group, claims that as of the 28th of October at least 234 people, including 34 children, have been killed by security forces in the ongoing nationwide protests. The true figure is estimated to be much higher. Security forces have denied killing peaceful protestors yet this appears contrary to video footage that has emerged of them firing live ammunition into crowds of protestors. It is also reported by Iran's Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) that 13,309 people have been detained. However, the ominous warning from the authorities that protests will be brought to an end using unprecedented force may indicate that Iran has entered an even more violent phase.
Sanctions:
The violent crackdown has faced strong condemnation with states and organisations responding with sanctions against the morality police. The morality police comprise part of the national police force responsible for enforcing compliance with Iran’s Islamic values and laws. The UK foreign office has imposed sanctions on the morality police in its entirety for its “threat of detention and violence to control what Iranian women wear and how they behave in public”. Additionally, the UK sanctioned five leading political and security officials for “committing serious human rights violations”, including the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Basij force that is responsible for internal security in Iran. Similarly, the EU has imposed sanctions on three other organisations besides the morality police with the German Foreign Minister announcing more recently that the European Union are examining whether to classify Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as terrorists.
‘Women, Life, Freedom’:
Mahsa Amini’s death has seemingly catalysed a new generation of women and men to stand up against the authorities in one of the longest sustained uprisings in Iran’s history. The surge of protests in her memory signifies an antipathy towards the gendered nature of the regime, with many people ready to do whatever it takes to ensure change occurs. In previous years, uprisings have been extinguished by forcible suppression but this protest movement shows no sign of relenting. Iran appears to be suspended in a cycle of defiance and violence with the security forces yet to unleash their full capabilities. These protests are no longer just about what women wear. They are centred on fighting for the rights of the next generation of Iranians with demands ranging from enhanced freedoms to an overthrow of the state. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/iran/irans-women-frontlines
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-62984076
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-62998231
https://www.rferl.org/a/32035501.html
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-63240911
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-63430246
