DUBAI, Sept 16 (Reuters) – A young Iranian woman died after falling into a coma after being arrested by morality police enforcing Iran’s strict hijab rules, sparking protests by Iranians on social media and in the streets on Friday. In recent months, Iranian rights activists have urged women to remove their veils in public, a gesture that would risk arrest for defying the Islamic dress code as the country’s hardline leaders crack down on “immoral behavior”. read more Videos posted on social media showed instances of police ethics units cracking down on women who had removed their hijab. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up Authorities launched an investigation into Mahsa Amini’s death at the request of President Ebrahim Raisi, state media reported Friday, as police said the 22-year-old fell ill while waiting with other female detainees in a police ethics station. “Based on detailed investigations, from her transportation to the vehicle and also to the place (station), there was no physical encounter with her,” the police statement said, rejecting claims on social media that Amini was probably beaten. CCTV footage broadcast by state television appeared to show a woman identified as Amini falling after getting up from her seat to speak to an employee at a police station. Reuters was unable to verify the authenticity of the video. Police earlier said Amini suffered a heart attack after being taken to the station to be “convinced and trained,” state television said, denying claims she was beaten. Her relatives denied that she was suffering from any heart condition. Among the critical comments on social media, outspoken reformist politician Mahmoud Sadeghi called on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Twitter to address the case as he denounced the killing of George Floyd by US police in 2020. Social media posts included videos showing protesters chanting “Death to the dictator (Khamenei)” as drivers honked their car horns in support of the demonstrations in a Tehran square near Amini Hospital amid a heavy police presence. The US special envoy for Iran, Robert Maley, tweeted: “The death of Mahsa Amini after injuries sustained in custody for wearing an ‘inappropriate’ hijab is appalling… Those responsible for her death must be held accountable.” . Rights group Amnesty International said on Twitter: “… allegations of torture and other ill-treatment in custody must be criminally investigated… All agents and officials responsible must face justice.” Under Iran’s sharia (Islamic) law, imposed after the 1979 revolution, women are required to cover their hair and wear long, loose clothing to conceal their figures. Offenders face public reprimand, fines or arrest. Decades after the revolution, clerics still struggle to enforce the law, with many women of all ages and backgrounds wearing tight thigh-length coats and brightly colored scarves pushed back to reveal lots of hair. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up Reporting from the Dubai newsroom, additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed in Saint Paul, Minn. Edited by William Maclean and Jonathan Oatis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
