Five killed in protests in Iran over the killing of Mahsa Amini in detention
Five people were killed in Iran's Kurdish region on Monday after police opened fire on demonstrators who refused to disperse on the third day of the death of a woman in police custody.
22 year old Mahsa Amini from Iran’s Kurdistan’s region was visiting the capital city of Tehran on Friday when she was detained by the morality police on the grounds that her hair was showing under her hijab. She fell into a coma during detention and died in a hospital in a matter of hours.
While the Iranian officials alleged that she fell into a coma following her arrest because of a heart attack and brain seizure, her brother said that she was carried out of the police station shortly after screams were heard from inside, and taken to a hospital in an ambulance.
The killing of Amini has ignited nationwide anger, sparking demonstrations in numerous areas including Tehran and Amini’s hometown Saqez.
The protests have been most intense in the Kurdish region, where the authorities have previously put down unrest by the Kurdish minority numbering 8 million to 10 million.
The Hengaw Human Rights Organization said two of the people were killed in Saqez, as security forces opened fire on protesters who chanted “death to the dictator.” It said two more were killed in the town of Divandarreh "by direct fire" from security forces, and a fifth was killed in Dehgolan, also in the Kurdish region.
Hengaw said 75 people were also injured during protests.
اعتراضات مردمی که از روز جمعه و همزمان با اعلام خبر جان باختن مهسا امینی آغاز شد، همچنان ادامه دارد.منابع محلی از تهدید فعالان مدنی در شهرهای سقز و سنندج، قطع و محدودیت اینترنت و فضای امنیتی هردو شهر خبر میدهند.
— ایران وایر (@iranwire) September 19, 2022
#اطلاع_رسانی #MahsaAmini #مهسا_امینی pic.twitter.com/2HnnNeDofc
In the nationwide condemnations of Amini's death, the Persian hashtag #MahsaAmini reached nearly 2 million Twitter mentions.
In Tehran, thousands continued protests despite police intervention with water cannon and tear gas
Social media posts showed that demonstrations spread to cities such as Rasht, Mashhad and Isfahan.
A video posted online showed scenes from Rasht where demonstrators were throwing rocks at police and chasing them.
Violent conflict between the protests of Rasht and the security forces in the streets of this city. #Mahsa_Amini pic.twitter.com/PdB9muYUHw
— 1500tasvir_en (@1500tasvir_en) September 19, 2022
Amini’s death also sparked international reaction.
"Mahsa Amini’s death after injuries sustained while in police custody for wearing an 'improper' hijab is an appalling and egregious affront to human rights," a White House spokesperson said.
France’s foreign ministry condemned her arrest, "and the violence that caused her death," calling for a transparent investigation.
