Tehran, Iran —
Human rights activists said dozens of people were arrested as Iran marked the first anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman who died in police custody three days after being arrested by morality police for not wearing the hijab properly. Iran was hit by months of anti-government demonstrations after Amini’s death on September 16, 2022.
Hengaw Organization for Human Rights has confirmed arrests in a number of provinces. Those arrested include prominent poet and writer Nima Safar, who was arrested in Gorgan along with Mani Safar and Majid Kalateh.
West Azerbaijan Police Chief Rahim Jahanbakhsh announced the detention of 137 individuals on charges of “disturbing public order.”
Kurdish Traders in Iran Strike
The anniversary of Amini’s death last Saturday (16/9) was marked by the presence of military troops and mass strikes by traders and shopkeepers in all Kurdish towns in many provinces in Iran, followed by demonstrations in a number of world cities.
According to the Kurdistan Human Rights Network, Amini’s father, Amjad Amini, was briefly detained on Saturday before being released. Iran’s official news agency, IRNA, denied information about the arrest, although it did not confirm whether he had only been detained briefly or given a warning.
Photos circulating on social media Saturday showed Iranians in New Zealand taking part in demonstrations commemorating Amini’s death. Iranian citizens in the country carried posters in solidarity with the protest movement in Iran and spoke out loud in pushing for democracy and freedom in Iran.
Iranians in Australia also held a similar demonstration in Melbourne’s city center and published photos showing a former prisoner in Iran, Kylie Moore-Gilbert, addressing a crowd of protesters. (em/hour)
