ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Dozens of people have been wounded, five of whom are in critical condition, during protests in the Kurdish areas of western Iran following the death of a Kurdish woman at the hands of Iranian security forces, a watchdog told Rudaw English on Sunday.
Mahsa (Zhina) Amini was detained on Tuesday for allegedly not wearing a hijab properly and was taken to hospital a few hours later after she collapsed in prison. She died on Friday with the authorities claiming that the cause of death was a heart attack, but human rights activists say she was tortured. Following the burial in her home city of Saqqez, protests broke out, with a group of women removing their headscarves in protest.
The head of the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Arsalan Yarahmedi, told Rudaw English that “36 people have been injured and five remain under critical condition and need surgery.” The organization monitors human rights violations committed in the Kurdish areas of Iran using local sources.
He added that some of the injured civilians are reluctant to seek medical treatment out of fear of being arrested for participating in the protests.
Kurdish opposition parties have also called for the Kurdish population in western Iran (Rojhelat) to go on a general strike on Monday.
Tensions continued in Saqqez as the five civilians in critical condition were moved to a hospital in Tabriz on Sunday where they are reportedly set to undergo surgery.
On Saturday, angry protesters in Saqqez chanted “death to the dictator” in Persian and threw stones at a banner of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei after the gathering for the burial of Mahsa Amini who was killed by morality police in Tehran.
The protests quickly spread to the city of Sanandaj overnight, turning violent as civilians stormed out on the streets, demanding justice and freedom in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Footage on social media showed protests taking place at Tehran University in support of women’s rights to freedom.
This is Tehran University, students joined the protest against the murdering of #MahsaAmini by hijab police and chanting:
— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) September 18, 2022
Woman, life, Freedom
Iranians are outraged. Yesterday the security forces opened fire at protesters in Saghez city but now Tehran joined the protest. pic.twitter.com/Bf9jcwWICB
Tehran police confirmed Amini’s detention for “explanation and instruction” about the dress rules, reported AFP. "She suddenly suffered a heart problem while in the company of other guided people (and)... was immediately taken to the hospital with the cooperation of police and emergency services."
Amnesty International called for an investigation into the death of Amini.
“The circumstances leading to the suspicious death in custody of 22-year-old young woman Mahsa Amini, which include allegations of torture and other ill-treatment in custody, must be criminally investigated,” it said.
By Klawdia Martani
