Iranians at home and abroad solemnly marked the first anniversary on Saturday of the death of Mahsa Amini, who died while in police custody. The incident sparked widespread protests last year, with activists now reporting an increased crackdown to prevent future demonstrations.
Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, passed away shortly after her arrest by religious police for allegedly violating Iran’s strict dress code for women. While her family claims she died from a blow to the head, Iranian authorities dispute this.
Following Amini’s death, protests broke out across major Iranian cities, with women challenging the government’s system of governance under supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by removing their mandatory headscarves. However, after a few months, the movement lost momentum due to a government crackdown that resulted in the deaths of 551 protesters and the arrest of over 22,000 individuals, according to human rights organizations.
Leading up to the anniversary, activists report that Iranian authorities have intensified their crackdown, pressuring the families of those killed in the protests to refrain from speaking out. Human Rights Watch has documented cases where family members of individuals killed or executed during the crackdown have faced interrogation, arrest, prosecution, or imprisonment over the past month.
Two journalists who helped raise awareness about Amini’s case, Niloufar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi, have been held in prison for nearly a year. Another reporter, Nazila Maroufian, who interviewed Amini’s father, has faced repeated arrests.
Despite the pressure from authorities, Mahsa Amini’s father, Amjad Amini, plans to hold a commemoration for his daughter in their hometown of Saqez in western Iran. However, additional security forces have been deployed to Saqez and other potentially volatile towns in western Iran, according to reports.
While some Iranian women still continue to walk in public without headscarves, particularly in wealthier and more liberal areas of north Tehran, the conservative-dominated parliament is now considering a draft law that would impose harsher penalties for non-compliance.
Iranian emigrants are anticipated to hold commemorative rallies under the slogan “Say her name!” in various cities, with large demonstrations expected in Paris and Toronto.
Amnesty International has accused Iran’s authorities of committing crimes under international law and expressed disappointment that no officials have been investigated in relation to Amini’s death or the crackdown. The United States, along with its Western allies, has imposed new sanctions on Iran over its handling of the protests.
Despite these challenges, President Joe Biden stated his solidarity with Iranians on the anniversary of Amini’s death and emphasized that Iranians alone will determine the future of their country.