The death in custody of a woman detained for violating hijab laws catalyzed Iran’s escalating protests. These protests have been led by women.
On Tuesday, the fifth day of unrest, crowds cheered as women in Sari burned their hijabs on a bonfire.
Three protesters were killed by security forces in Urmia, Piranshahr, and Kermanshah, according to activists, and one of them was a woman.
Authorities claim that protesters are responsible for the deaths of a police officer in Shiraz and two civilians in Kermanshah.
Following Mahsa Amini’s passing, protests against the hijab laws and morality police are said to have resulted in at least seven fatalities so far.
After three days in a coma, the 22-year-old Kurdish woman from the northwestern city of Saqez passed away in the hospital on Friday.
She was detained by morality police while in Tehran with her brother because she had disobeyed the law requiring women to cover their arms and legs with loose clothing and their hair with a hijab, or headscarf. Soon after collapsing at a detention facility, she entered a coma.
According to reports, police reportedly used a baton to strike Ms. Amini in the head and hit her head against one of their cars, according to acting UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada al-Nashif.
She was not mistreated, according to the police, who claimed she had “sudden heart failure.” However, her family reported that she was in good health.
“Mahsa Amini’s tragic death and allegations of torture and ill-treatment must be promptly, impartially and effectively investigated by an independent competent authority, that ensures, in particular, that her family has access to justice and truth,” Ms Nashif said.
She mentioned that as the morality police had increased their street patrols in recent months to crack down on those believed to be wearing “loose hijab,” the UN had received “numerous, and verified, videos of violent treatment of women.”
“The authorities must stop targeting, harassing, and detaining women who do not abide by the hijab rules,” she added, calling for their repeal.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s aide visited the family of Ms. Amini on Monday and assured them that “all institutions will take action to defend the rights that were violated,” according to state media.
Jalal Rashidi Koochi, a senior member of parliament, publicly criticized the morality police, calling it a “mistake” that had only caused “loss and damage” to Iran.
