As of: 09/30/2022 8:09 p.m
Again people took to the streets against the government in Iran. The Intelligence Ministry announced that nine foreign nationals were arrested. A German is said to be among them.
Iran says it has arrested nine foreign nationals in connection with protests following the death of Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini. According to the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence, at least one German is among them.
The nationals from Germany, Poland, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Sweden and other countries were arrested “on the spot” or were “involved in the unrest,” according to the statement, which was distributed in the Iranian media. Exactly when and where the arrests took place was not disclosed – nor was anything about the identity of the people. There is still no confirmation from the Foreign Office.
Apparently more than 80 dead
The background to the demonstrations is the death of 22-year-old Amini. The moral police arrested her two and a half weeks ago because of her allegedly “un-Islamic outfit”. What happened to her after that is unclear. The woman had fallen into a coma and died in a hospital on September 16.
Since then, thousands have been demonstrating across the country against the government’s repressive course and the Islamic system. The security forces use violence against them. According to activists, at least 83 people have already died. The Iranian news agency Fars, on the other hand, reported around 60 deaths.
Again today there were riots in the south-east of the country. Fars News Agency reported a shooting near a mosque and a police station in the city of Sahedan. Many people were injured. A fire engine is said to have been set on fire.
President Raisi for tough action
So far it is unclear what the result of the protests could be. The overthrow of the system seems unrealistic so far, also because there is no serious opposition either at home or abroad. But many also fear long-term chaos or even civil war.
In response, the government severely restricted access to the Internet – it is difficult for information to get out. In a television interview on Wednesday evening, President Ebrahim Raisi on the one hand agreed to conciliatory tones, but at the same time announced tough action against demonstrators.
The “tolerance threshold” should also be raised with a view to protests, according to Raisi. He also spoke of a possible reform of laws, but left open which ones. But Raisi also warned that the police would take consistent action against “rioters.”
Amnesty calls for investigation
The human rights organization Amnesty International accused the Iranian leadership of a systematic escalation of violence. According to the organization, 52 women, men and children died as a result of the actions of the security forces.
Amnesty called for an international investigation. Security forces used live ammunition, shotgun pellets and other metal projectiles. There are also reports of massive beatings and gender-specific and sexualised violence against women.