The death of a 22-year-old Iranian woman in the custody of “morality police” has galvanized women to take to the streets in protest and adopt unique methods to put a spotlight on their repression.
Mahsa Amini died on Friday after falling into a coma following her arrest in Tehran earlier in the week. Media reports stated she suffered a heart attack after being detained by morality police, who found fault with her hijab (headscarf).
The incident sparked massive outrage on social media and by the weekend, thousands of Iranian women staged protest rallies in the capital. Police responded with a brutal crackdown and fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters.
Massive protest in Iran over the custodial death of 22 year old Mahsa Amini.#Iran #ITVideo #MahsaAmini pic.twitter.com/Xq3NaI5mYb
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Videos shared on social media showed protesters gathering near the University of Tehran, raising slogans like “Woman, Life, Freedom”. Several women were seen doffing their hijabs in a symbolic protest as they cried “death to the tyrant”.
Many women also posted videos on social media of themselves chopping off their hair and setting their hijabs on fire. Watch the video here:
PROTESTS ESCALATE
According to the BBC, eyewitnesses said Mahsa Amini was beaten while inside a police van when she was picked up in Tehran. Police have denied the allegations, saying Amini had “suddenly suffered a heart problem”. However, her family has claimed the young woman was perfectly healthy.
Social media outcry soon transformed into an on-ground agitation. Protests also broke out at Amini’s funeral in her hometown Saqez in the Kurdistan region. Police repressed the demonstrations in Saqez.
The protests come in the wake of growing reports of repressive acts against women. Those judged not to be complying with Islamic dress code are reportedly barred from entering government offices and banks. Earlier this year, women were prohibited from appearing in advertisements.
CRACKDOWN ON DRESS CODE
Under Iran’s sharia, or Islamic law, women over the age of seven are obliged to cover their hair and wear long, loose-fitting clothes. A July 5 order by President Ebrahim Raisi to enforce the hijab law has resulted in a new list of restrictions on how women can dress. Offenders face public rebuke, fines or arrest.
Ultraconservatives have called for harsh punishment and even lashes for women who disobey the hijab law. On the other hand, activists have urged women to remove veils despite the hardline rulers’ crackdown on “immoral behaviour”.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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