Amini’s death sparks protests
THE death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after her arrest by Iran’s “morality police” not only triggered protests in the country but also rare outspoken criticism by senior officials.
Public anger has grown since authorities last Friday announced Amini’s death following her arrest by the police unit responsible for enforcing Iran’s strict dress code for women, including the wearing of the headscarf covering their hair in public.
Amid growing controversy over the conduct of the morality police, known formally as the Gasht-e Ershad or “Guidance Patrol”, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said yesterday that the police unit’s conduct should be investigated.
The state-affiliated Organisation for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, set up to encourage good behaviour and prohibit immoral activities, said the police unit should not arrest people for breaking dress regulations.
“The view of this issue should be changed,” the influential organisation said, stressing that it opposed “the arrest and trial of ordinary people” for clothing infringements. “The criminalisation of those not wearing a headscarf and the arrest, filing of cases and the prosecution of people will only cause social tensions,” it added.
The death of Amini has caused international consternation, including from the UN. The US criticised her death and the way it said security forces handled the ensuing protests.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian yesterday rejected the criticism and said a probe had been ordered into the “tragic death of Mahsa”, who he said, quoting President Ebrahim Raisi, “was just like our own daughters”.
Inside Iran, following protests in the capital Tehran and a number of other provinces, politicians and clerics have also spoken out. On the streets, protesters showed their anger.
This week, several hundred protesters in Tehran were dispersed by police using batons and tear gas.
Tehran governor Mohsen Mansouri yesterday said the protests in the capital were “organised with the agenda to create unrest”.
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s representative in Kurdistan province paid a visit to Mahsa’s family at their home yesterday.
“All institutions will take action to defend the violated rights of Miss Amini and none of their rights will be ignored,” he said.