Riots have erupted in Iran following the death 22-year old Mahsa Amini, who died in the custody of the country’s repressive Islamic “morality police” after being arrested because the “morality police” apparently determined that not enough of her hair was covered by her hijab.
Though CCTV footage exists of Amini’s death, it’s generally believed that the video was heavily edited to show Amini speaking with a female official then holding her head with her hands and collapsing to the ground.
Amini’s family believe that she was brutally beaten by the Islamic police, causing the collapse in the video. She ultimately spent three days in a coma before her death.
Iranian officials, however, tried to claim that Amini “had previous physical problems” that explain her lapse into a coma and eventual death. Her father rebutted the claim, telling the public she was “fit and had no health problems.”
“I want my daughter alive.”
Mahsa Amini’s grieving mother in hospital in Tehran.This is the moment that Mahsa Amin’s family were told that the doctors couldn’t save her life.#MahsaWasMurdered by the Islamic Republic’s hijab police in Iran.
— Masih Alinejad ????️ (@AlinejadMasih) September 16, 2022
The claims of Iran’s “morality police” seem to have been thoroughly debunked after a CT scan of Amini’s head revealed a bone fracture, haemorrhage, and brain edema, indicating severe trauma to the skull.
This corroborates earlier accounts from her family and doctors about her being hit several times on the head, and at minimum, proves that the “morality police” claim Amini suffered a heart attack was most likely false.
Protests have since erupted throughout the repressive Muslim country. Women are removing their hijabs to protest the Islamic regime, some going as far as cutting their hair in public and burning their headscarves.
Dozens of protesters have been injured and about 8 people have reportedly been killed during the riots, with victims including a 10-year old girl.
In Kerman's Azadi Square tonight, a woman sits on top of a utility box, takes off her headscarf and cuts her hair as people chant "death to the dictator" on the fifth night of protests in Iran over the death of #MahsaAmini in custody of morality police.pic.twitter.com/3zZuZkkom1
— Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) September 20, 2022
⚠️
????????????Breaking –A little angel,a 10-year-old girl has been shot today by the Iranian regime.
Ongoing protests in Iran, the Iranian youth are after the regime's collapse! #مهسا_امینی pic.twitter.com/ION7dp78WD
— Iranian American ???????? (@IranLionness) September 20, 2022
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
See how Girls are mercilessly Beaten, assaulted & humiliated Publicly by Psychopath Radical Predators in Iran for not wearing #Hijab .Bloody Morality Police Monsters????violently assault Girls enforcing Hijab Compulsion. These Extremist countries r living Hell 4 women#MahsaAmini pic.twitter.com/UEVwnN97si
— Jyot Jeet (@activistjyot) September 18, 2022
Women and minorities in Iran are regularly subjected to treatment that, in the West, would be considered barbaric at best and a hate crime at worst.
For example, in addition to being legally required to wear Muslim head garb, married women are forbidden to leave the country without their husband’s permission. In fact, women only gained the right to inherit their husband’s property in 2009.
Additionally, if a woman is raped in Iran, there is a slim but real chance she may be killed by her own male family members to protect the “honor” of the family name. Hundreds of these so-called “honor killings” happen each year in the repressive Islamic country.
Gay people also suffer in Iran, where the Muslim theocracy has determined that homosexuality should be punishable by death. Muslim clerics, instead, insist that gay people are women born with the wrong sex organs and are deemed to be transgendered. Some have coerced to have sexual reassignment surgery regardless of their gender identity.
Regardless of the country’s human rights abuses, the Biden administration continues to negotiate with Iran’s theocratic Muslim regime with the goal of reaching a nuclear deal.
This news and commentary originally appeared on Valiant News.
