On September 18, the protests in western Iran continued over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. It is noteworthy that Amini was detained by the ‘Mortality Police’ of Iran for wearing the hijab in an ‘improper manner’ as she was allegedly not covering her hair completely. She was assaulted in the Police van while being driven to a detention center for a ‘re-education lesson.’ Amini succumbed to the injuries sustained during the assault while receiving treatment in the hospital on September 16.
Masih Alinejad, an Iranian journalist and activist, shared several videos on the social media platform Twitter. In one of the videos, the women were seen removing their hijab and cutting their hair as a mark of protest. Masih wrote, “Iranian women show their anger by cutting their hair and burning their hijab to protest against the killing of Mahsa Amini by hijab police. From the age of 7, if we don’t cover our hair, we won’t be able to go to school or get a job. We are fed up with this gender apartheid regime.”
Iranian women show their anger by cutting their hair and burning their hijab to protest against the killing of #Mahsa_Amini by hijab police.
— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) September 18, 2022
From the age of 7 if we don’t cover our hair we won’t be able to go to school or get a job. We are fed up with this gender apartheid regime pic.twitter.com/nqNSYL8dUb
In another video shared by Masih, students of Tehran university were seen protesting against the murder of Mahsa Amini. She wrote, “This is Tehran University, students joined the protest against the murdering of #MahsaAmini by hijab police and chanting: Woman, life, Freedom. Iranians are outraged. Yesterday the security forces opened fire at protesters in Sachez city, but now Tehran joined the protest.”
This is Tehran University, students joined the protest against the murdering of #MahsaAmini by hijab police and chanting:
— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) September 18, 2022
Woman, life, Freedom
Iranians are outraged. Yesterday the security forces opened fire at protesters in Saghez city but now Tehran joined the protest. pic.twitter.com/Bf9jcwWICB
JK Rowling, the author of the famous Harry Potter series, came in support of the Iranian women protesting over Amini’s death. She quoted Masih and wrote, “What true bravery looks like.”
What true bravery looks like. #Mahsa_Amini https://t.co/Nuti95ZIx7
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 18, 2022
In another video shared by Masih, women can be seen chanting, “Don’t be afraid, we are all united,” while protesting on the streets. Masih wrote- These brave women stormed into the streets on day two after Mahsa Amini was murdered by hijab police. They chant ‘Don’t be afraid, we are all united.’
These brave women stormed into the streets on day 2 after #Mahsa_Amini was murdered by hijab police.
— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) September 18, 2022
They chant:
“Don’t be afraid, we are all united.”
Yesterday the security forces opened fire at protesters and injured some of them. People won’t give up. #مهسا_امینی pic.twitter.com/8RtpMlwSN2
The protests continued during the night as well. In one of the videos, women could be heard chanting, ‘Death to Khamenei.’
Iranian women waving their headscarvs in public while facing guns and bullets by security forces. Chanting; Death to Khamenei.
— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) September 18, 2022
People took to the streets to protest the killing of #MahsaAmini by hijab police.
In Iran & Afghanistan women get killed for wanting freedom of choice. pic.twitter.com/d1WJKDRmoV
A similar video was shared by Twitter user zizikhanoum.
Iranians in Sanandaj city are chanting “Death to Khamenei” and women are removing their hijab in the streets which is illegal in Islamic Republic of Iran.#IranProtests#Mahsa_Amini#مهسا_امینیpic.twitter.com/4CjOnRE6s8
— ZiZi🏴 (@zizikhanoum) September 18, 2022
Twitter user Samri shared several videos alleging the Iranian Police fired shots at the protesters. The videos, which are graphic in nature, show Police firing at the protesters and a few visuals of protesters who got injured.
Several people got injured in #Saqez, Kurdistan province after Iranian security forces opened fire on protesters protesting the custodial death of Mahsa Amini over “improper hijab”.#مهسا_امینی pic.twitter.com/9Qhp7u69A8
— SAMRI (@SAMRIReports) September 17, 2022
Iranian security forces fire directly at people protesting against the custodial death of Mahsa Amini in Quds Square of Saqez city in Kurdistan province.#مهسا_امینی pic.twitter.com/8vzxIRlsot
— SAMRI (@SAMRIReports) September 17, 2022
Kian Darakhshan, a teenager from #Saqez, was seriously injured in the head by a direct shot of Iranian police during the protest against the custodial death of Mahsa Amini.#مهسا_امینیhttps://t.co/CerQT1PmkB pic.twitter.com/XHTwmZu2Mn
— SAMRI (@SAMRIReports) September 18, 2022
The death of Mahsa Amini
A 22-year-old Iranian woman named Mahsa Amini, who fell into a coma after she was beaten by the ‘Morality Police’ for wearing ‘improper hijab’, died on Friday in Tehran. Iranian media reported that Amini died in hospital, quoting official sources.
Earlier on Tuesday, Mahsa Amini was declared brain dead, hours after she was arrested by the ‘Morality Police’ in Tehran for “improper hijab”, which means she had not fully covered her hair. She was arrested by the police and then beaten in the police van while being taken to a detention centre, dubbed as a ‘re-education class’ for not conforming to the country’s mandatory hijab rules.
According to the reports, the incident is said to have happened on September 13 when Amini, a native of Saghez, Iran, had travelled to Tehran for a pleasure trip. The woman was with her brother Kiarash at the entrance to the Shahid Haghani Expressway when the ‘Morality Police’ arrived and arrested Amini for a one-hour ‘re-education class’.
