Young woman died in custody of morality police Iran sees protests in the streets and outrage on social media The government denies that Mahsa Amini was beaten
DUBAI, Sept 18 (Reuters) – Protests continued on Sunday and #MahsaAmini became one of the top hashtags ever on Twitter as Iranians were outraged over the death of a young woman in the custody of morality police enforcing strict hijab rules. Amini, 22, died on Friday after falling into a coma following her arrest in Tehran earlier in the week. The case has put women’s rights in the spotlight in Iran. Police dismissed suspicions circulated on social media that she was beaten, saying she fell ill while waiting with other female detainees. read more Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up “The authorities said my daughter suffered from chronic medical conditions. I personally deny such claims as my daughter was in good health and had no health problems,” Amini’s father told the pro-reform Emtedad news site on Sunday . Hundreds of protesters gathered around Tehran University on Sunday, chanting “Woman, Life, Freedom,” according to online videos. Reuters was unable to verify the video. Under Iran’s sharia, or Islamic law, women are required to cover their hair and wear long, loose clothing. Offenders face public reprimand, fines or arrest. But in recent months, activists have urged women to remove their veils despite a crackdown on “immoral behavior” by hardline rulers.
SURGING HASHTAG
By Sunday afternoon the Persian hashtag #MahsaAmini had reached 1.63 million mentions on Twitter. Amini was from the country’s Kurdistan region, where there were also protests on Saturday, including a funeral in her hometown of Saqez. There are 8 to 10 million Kurds living in Iran. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have quelled unrest in the country’s Kurdish regions for decades, and the hardline judiciary has sentenced many activists to long prison terms or death. read more The police suppressed the protests in Saqez. According to videos posted online, at least one man had a head injury. Reuters was unable to verify the authenticity of the videos. Behzad Rahimi, a member of parliament for Sakez, told the semi-official ILNA news agency that few people were injured at the funeral. “One of them was treated at Saqez Hospital after being hit in the intestines by a ball bearing,” he said. Kurdish rights group Hengaw said, however, that 33 people were injured in Saqez. Reuters could not independently confirm the number. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up Report from Dubai Newsroom. Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Frances Kerry Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
