• Iran 'Nothing is ever the same': Street control marks anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death

The Iranian authorities have been deploying their armed forces in several cities of the country for days and forcing dozens of businesses not to support strikes, in an attempt to contain any street protests. This Saturday marks the first anniversary of the death of Mahsa Jina Amini, the young woman who died in police custody after being arrested for not wearing the Islamic veil correctly.

The images of Amini in hospital, with clear signs of having been beaten during her detention, sparked a wave of protests that spread across the country. Thousands of women took to the streets to burn their veils or cut their hair in an act of protest to demand more freedoms and the end of the current political regime. The protest movement becamea cry against the economic crisis and against the authority of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which was supported in all the cities of the country by different strata of society.

Armed troops of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stationed days ago at Amini's family home in her hometown of Saqez, where she is buried. Authorities arrested Amini's uncle, according to Shiva Nazar Ahari, a founding activist of the Reporters for Rights Committee. In the early hours of Saturday, Mahsa Jina's father, Amjad Amini, was also detained for questioning, although hours later he was released, according to Iranian radio Farda.

"Security forces arrested Amjad Amini today and then returned him to his home after pressuring him not to commemorate the anniversary of his daughter's death," the Kurdistan Human Rights Network said in the Amini's home province. The family of the young woman had planned to pay homage to her in the cemetery, but it has not been possible due to pressure from the authorities.

The police deployment has spread to other cities in an attempt to quell small protests against the supreme leader. In Tehran and other major cities in the northeast of the country such as Mashhad or Shiraz, in the south, dozens of people defied the authorities on Friday night and took to the streets chanting: Death to the dictator!" and "Woman, life, freedom!", the latter is the emblem of the cause of Mahsa Jina Amini, who created a wave of solidarity both within Iran and millions of women in other countries.

In the Kurdish towns of Marivan and Abdomen, security forces failed to prevent groups of protesters from lighting bonfires in some areas and shouting slogans. Protests have also spread on social media, where anonymous users have posted images commemorating the anniversary of the young woman's death.

Two months ago, in a show of unity among Kurdish parties, six formations called a general strike planned for this Saturday, for the "irreversible and unstoppable steps" carried out by the thousands of Iranians who took to the streets to protest police violence. According to IranWire, dozens of traders have been summoned in recent days to go to intelligence departments, mainly in Amini's hometown of Saqez, and have been forced to sign a paper as they would not support the protest stoppage. The outlet reported at least 50 traders subjected to harsh interrogations.

In the past year the Iranian regime has responded harshly to proclamations on the street, with more than 20,000 Iranians detained, while 500 people have been killed, mostly by gunfire, at the hands of security forces. Nearly twenty people have been sentenced to death for their participation in the protests and seven of them have already been executed. For its part, Tehran insists that the protests are instigated "by foreign powers" and has warned on several occasions that whoever joins the demonstrations will pay a heavy price.

Apart from the lack of freedoms, the country suffers a severe economic crisis, with high inflation that has worsened with foreign sanctions. On the eve of the anniversary of Amini's death, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia announced the imposition of new sanctions against individuals and entities, while reaffirming their "commitment to the brave people of Iran." In cities around the world such as Istanbul, Madrid, Paris or Brussels, protests were held to commemorate the murder of Amini and demand an improvement in civil rights for Iranians.

  • Iran
  • Islam