Amini’s death sparks world-wide protests
The choice of wearing a hijab is a freedom those within the United States are fortunate to have, while women in Iran face prejudice for not wearing one. On Sept. 16, Mahsa Amini lost her life on the way to Tehran after being brutally abused by policemen. The morality police noticed that a piece of her hair was showing through underneath her hijab, so they brought her to a detention center to be punished. As a result of the severe head trauma that fractured her skull, Amini was declared dead at 22 years old in the Tehran hospital.
Amini’s death symbolizes the oppression that the Iranian government exercises on its citizens, which sparked protests in defense of her lost life. Women in Iran protest by burning their hijabs and cutting their hair, while others have attacked police officials with rocks and burned down buildings. These protests are spreading quickly and have already hit over 50 cities throughout Iran, even with the constant threat of danger as authorities’ attempt to beat and kill protesters.
Iranian peoples, especially women, have been harassed by the “morality police” for a long time. Iran’s morality police are a group of religious authorities who enforce dress code amongst the public. This dress code includes shirts that reach the elbows, pants that cover everything above the ankles and women are required to cover their hair with hijabs. According to Iran’s religion based laws, the police have the right to even imprison people who are not wearing the correct attire.
Nooshin Razavi, an Iranian woman who has family members in Iran, has been unable to get in touch with her family in Iran. “The internet has been shut down to prevent the news from spreading to the world. It is very difficult to call or text someone in Iran,” Razavi said. “[My family is] scared to go out for daily activities because they are afraid to encounter the morality police attacking citizens.”
To show their own support, people around the world come together to rally for the rights of Iranian women, using their voices and media to spread information and encourage others to fight back. Others are also donating resources and supplies to women in Iran to help them get back on their feet.
