The death of Mahsa Amini has sparked protests in Iran.  

There has been a huge issue and many protests in Iran because of the death of Mahsa Amini on September 16th, 2022. Iran has strict laws when it comes to the dress code in that country. The 22-year-old Masha Amini was arrested for not wearing her hijab correctly and sporting skinny jeans. Unfortunately, her life was taken away under the hands of authorities and her cause of death was reported by the police and the government as an “underlying disease.” Amini’s family is claiming that authorities lied and that their daughter was beaten and her head struck several times, which caused her death (EuroNews).

Mahsa Amini’s story has had a huge impact on Iran. Women started the protest but everyone else has joined. Men and women have united in honor of Amini’s short but impactful life. Iran is all united, all chanting the same thing: “Women, Life, Freedom!” Only peaceful, non-violent protests have been happening in Iran. Women have burned their hijabs while dancing at the same time, and some women have cut their hair. Iran’s football team refused to sing their national anthem at the World Cup and fans have chanted slogans against the regime outside of stadiums. There have been multiple strikes that have been reported in schools, universities, and shops.

The most important factor of this whole situation is how Iran’s regime has responded to the protests that are peaceful and non-violent. Security forces in Iran have reacted with violence since the start of the protests, especially in areas where minorities live. Many innocent people have been shot for honking their horns in support of the protests, and many people who have reported the death of Amini have been put behind bars. These recent events in Iran are very different compared to past protests, mostly because of the unity. Mahsa Amini was a normal girl who was not well known, and she was just taken from her family in such a violent way that had no justification. As her family fights for justice, people around the world are showing their support for those protesting in Iran. 

* Image from https://www.flickr.com/photos/taymazvalley/52383779726