The embers of the protest movement in Iran are far from extinguished. "In the current situation, any incident can trigger new protests," notes sociologist Abbas Abdi, interviewed on March 13 by AFP in Tehran, nearly six months after the death of Mahsa Amini, who died on September 16, 2022, after her arrest by the morality police for a "poorly worn veil".

The latest news from Iran proves him right. Small groups of Iranians did not hesitate, Tuesday, March 14, to hijack the night celebrations of the Persian fire festival, the "Chaharshanbeh suri", which traditionally gives rise to gatherings of joy in the streets in the run-up to the Iranian New Year. On several videos immortalizing the event in Tehran and Rasht (North), the crowd proclaims "Freedom", or "Death to the dictator". "We are just waiting for a spark," said the author of one of the videos, in another district of Tehran.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Armin Arefi (@arefiarmin)

However, since January, protests have become sporadic, with the exception of the city of Zahedan, in Balochistan (southeast), where every Friday there are large rallies that are harshly repressed. The protest movement now continues in the form of a multitude of acts of civil disobedience.

Released prisoners still refuse to wear veils

Among these striking gestures, a few days ago, a young woman took the risk of climbing to the top of a billboard on an Iranian highway to hang an imposing banner calling for new demonstrations. The scene, filmed, was broadcast on social networks to give courage to others.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Armin Arefi (@arefiarmin)

Another video has been widely shared in recent weeks. An Iranian engineer, Zainab Kazempour, was invited on February 17 to give a speech at the Tehran Construction Engineering Organization congress. In front of a packed amphitheater, the rebellious Iranian woman leaves the stage throwing her headscarf to the ground. The reason? Her candidacy for the board of directors of the Iranian body was rejected because of her progressive positions on the veil, which she refuses to wear under duress. A strong gesture that earned Zainab Kazempour to be prosecuted for "insulting" the Muslim veil.

Men refuse her candidacy for the board of directors of the Tehran Organization of Engineers because she is against compulsory veiling.

Her reaction: she throws her veil in front of them and leaves the stage! These women are amazing. #Iran #MahsaAmini pic.twitter.com/lEMB0T14k3

— Farid Vahid (@FaridVahiid) February 17, 2023

There are also those videos of political prisoners in Tehran, who have just been released, hair in the winds, singing – which is forbidden for a single woman in Iran – or chanting slogans. They pay tribute to their fellow prisoners, reaffirm their opposition to the regime, chant that "oppressive power must be destroyed!", or take up the famous slogan "Woman, life, freedom!".

The cry of "woman, life, freedom", moments after their release! Yasamin Ariani and her mother had been imprisoned for the past four years for campaigning against compulsory veiling. They were released today. The struggle continues. #Iran #MahsaAmini pic.twitter.com/hbzvxSgzPH

— Farid Vahid (@FaridVahiid) February 15, 2023

>> Read: Behind bars of Evin prison, the courage of Iranian female inmates

Since February, the authorities have released 22,600 detainees whose arrests were "related to the riots", the head of the judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, said on 13 March. An amnesty cleverly orchestrated, however, stresses Clément Therme, associate researcher at the International Institute of Iranian Studies and professor at the Paul-Valéry University of Montpellier. "In its official narrative, the Iranian regime wants to show that it is in a 'phase of reconciliation.'"

Iranian human rights defenders also called the pardon a "media stunt." Several well-known activists remain in prison, including human rights activist Narges Mohammadi, environmental defenders Sepideh Kashani and Niloufar Bayani – sentenced in 2020 to ten years in prison for "espionage" – and German-Iranian human rights activist Nahid Taghavi.

Forced confession for dancing

As for the arrests and convictions, they have not stopped. And acts of civil disobedience are no less risky than protesting. A couple was sentenced to 10 and a half years in prison at the end of January for dancing hand in hand on the very symbolic "Freedom Square" in Tehran, in a video widely shared on social networks.

On March 8, International Women's Day, a group of young girls filmed a choreography at the foot of buildings in Tehran's Ekbatan neighborhood. Dressed in crop tops, they dance to "Calm Down", a languorous and sensual afrobeat hit by Nigerian singer Rema and Selena Gomez. The police began a manhunt for them and eventually arrested them. After two days of detention, a video emerged on social networks on March 14, showing the four girlfriends, heads veiled, each in turn to express their regrets.

Meanwhile, their video that went viral on TikTok inspired other women, who seized on the symbol. In Isfahan and Shiraz, Iranian women resumed dancing and filmed themselves in support.

On the occasion of the #8mars, young unveiled women publish this video where they dance from the Ekteban district of Tehran. Despite the repression, Iranian women continue to defy the dictatorship! #Iran #MahsaAmini pic.twitter.com/GS1ftNXUUL

— Farid Vahid (@FaridVahiid) March 9, 2023

"Re-establishing the 'wall of fear'"

"The regime is trying to impose the idea that these acts are carried out from abroad, while they are part of a rejection of the way of life imposed by the Islamic Republic. In reality, the authorities are afraid of losing control over the population," says Clément Therme. "All the work of the regime is to put back in place the 'wall of fear' that has fallen in recent months."

Proof of this is that it is no longer uncommon in the streets of Tehran or other major cities to observe the presence of more and more women not wearing the veil, as reported by political analyst Ahmad Zeidabadi, interviewed by AFP.

The courage of Iranian women! #Iran #MahsaAmini pic.twitter.com/CxYIQPe8g2

— Farid Vahid (@FaridVahiid) March 7, 2023

But to repress, explains the researcher, the Iranian state has a "structured apparatus that holds up for the moment, given that there is no split among the Revolutionary Guards". This coercive force "does not leave space to express itself by demonstrating in the street," continues the Iran specialist.

It is clear that the human toll is heavy, which may have dissuaded the demonstrators from returning to the streets: four executions, dozens of death sentences, torture – including rape in prisons and at least 530 people killed in protests over the past six months, according to various NGOs, including Human Rights Iran. "For the moment the regime has won a security victory, certainly, but not a political victory," said Clément Therme.

"Trust with the population is broken, they no longer believe the propaganda of the state," he added. This is evidenced by the strong emotion provoked by the case of the mysterious intoxication of students in hundreds of girls' schools over the past three months. A tragedy that the parents of students have largely blamed on the authorities, despite the arrest by the services of the State of people suspected of being at the origin of these toxic attacks, including some "involved in the recent riots" according to a statement from the Ministry of the Interior.

The summary of the week France 24 invites you to look back on the news that marked the week

I subscribe

Take international news with you everywhere! Download the France 24 app