Iranian woman, 22, died after arrest by morality police
What happened to Mahsa Amini? The 22-year-old Iranian woman was detained by morality police in Tehran, apparently for not wearing a hijab. Two hours later she fell into a coma. Now she has died – there are different versions of the cause of death.
IHer fate affects people all over the world: the 22-year-old Mahsa Amini from Iran was apparently doomed by the strict moral standards in her country. The young woman’s family and friends unanimously report that after being arrested by the morality police, Amini fell into a coma and is now dead.
Her brother Kiaresch told the Iran Wire website that the 22-year-old suffered an epileptic seizure and a heart attack, according to Iranian authorities. The Morality Police ensure strict compliance with dress codes for women, including compulsory headscarves.
According to reports, Amini did not wear the so-called hijab as requested, while other sources write that, according to inspectors, she “did not wear the headgear properly”.
According to the brother, only two hours passed between the arrest and the admission to the hospital. He announced a lawsuit. A statement from Tehran police confirmed that the woman was arrested for “explanations and instructions” on the dress code. She had “suddenly had a heart problem” and was “immediately taken to the hospital with the support of the police and emergency services.”
An example of the systematic oppression of women
At first it was not clear what happened between their arrival at the police station and their transport to the hospital, and there are still many unanswered questions.
The case was presented on the Internet as follows: According to this, Amini was initially arrested because her headscarf did not fit properly. After protesting against her arrest, she was taken to the police station by the police. There, in turn, she is said to have been hit on the head, which led to a cerebral hemorrhage. However, the authorities vehemently denied this claim.
The social media service 1500Taswir, which tracks human rights abuses by the Iranian police, shared a photo of the 22-year-old in the hospital. She had a breathing tube in her mouth.
The recording, but also a drawing inspired by it, was distributed and shared by numerous other accounts, many Twitter users openly expressed their outrage, and there is also speculation about a possible case of police violence.
Mahsa Amini’s situation is an example of “deliberate crime,” wrote Iranian free speech fighter Hossein Ronaghi. The “systematic oppression of Iranian women under the pretext of enforcing the headscarf” is a “crime”.
Amani’s fate was also an issue in Parliament
The incident has now also been discussed in the Iranian parliament. Several MPs called for the police videos to be released to clarify the matter. Ex-President Mohammad Chatami also expressed criticism.
The Islamic headscarf has been mandatory in Iran since shortly after the Islamic Revolution. Some women, supported by US activist Masih Alinejad, have defied the rule by removing the headscarf in public.