Paris: Protest against the death of Iranian schoolgirls has come to the fore mahsa aminiRemoving their hijab and staging sporadic rallies in defiance of deadly crackdown by security forces.
Amini, 22, was pronounced dead after the notorious ethics police detained an Iranian Kurd last month for allegedly violating the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code for women.
Anger over his funeral flared up and became the biggest wave of protests to shake Iran in nearly three years, despite a backlash by security forces, which killed scores and arrested hundreds.
The students rallied over the weekend before being confronted by riot police, who surrounded them before taking them to an underground car park at Tehran’s prestigious Sharif University of Technology.
Since then schoolgirls have lathi-charged the country by removing their hijabs, raising anti-government slogans and maligning the images of clerical state leaders.
“Death to the dictator,” a group of bare-headed girls are heard chanting in reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as they exit a school in Karaj, west of Tehran, on Monday, allegedly by a man, the principal force it. Video verified by AFP.
Another group of girls sing “Woman, Jeevan, Freedom” as they march down a street in the Karaj neighborhood of Gohardasht.
“These are truly extraordinary scenes. If there is anything to be gained from these protests, it will be because of the schoolgirls,” Esfandyar Batmanglij of the Bourse and Bazar news and analysis website tweeted in response.
In other footage shared online, schoolgirls can be seen evacuating classrooms and also in flash-mob protests.
1500Pictures In a video shared by the social media channel, a furious group of girls are seen shouting “Get Lost, Basiji” in a reference to the paramilitary force at a man standing on a podium in the southern city of Shiraz.
AFP has been unable to independently confirm the footage.
As the women-led protests spread into a fourth week, Iran has widened its crackdown, rounded up the movement’s high-profile supporters and imposed internet restrictions limiting access to social media.
On Tuesday night, Iranian pop singer Sherwin Hajipour, who was arrested after his song in support of the protest went viral and became an anthem for the movement, was released on bail.
He told his 1.9 million Instagram followers, “I’m here to say that I’m fine. But I’m sorry that certain movements outside Iran—to which I have no affiliation—made some inappropriate political use of this song.” ” soon after his release.
Iran’s judiciary meanwhile launched an investigation into the death of teenage girl Nika Shakrami, who was allegedly killed during protests.
BBC Persian and Iran Wire had reported that authorities took possession of his body and buried it in secret on Monday to avoid a funeral that sparked further protests.
At least 92 protesters have been killed in the unrest, according to the Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights (IHR).
Amnesty International has confirmed 53 deaths, while the Fars news agency put the death toll last week at “around 60”. At least 12 security personnel are reported to have been killed.
The IHR said a further 63 people were killed last week when security forces “bloody suppressed” a protest in Zahedan, near Iran’s southeastern border with Pakistan.
A police chief in the area started the clash after Friday prayers during a protest amid allegations of raping a teenage girl from the Baloch Sunni minority, the statement said.
The action has drawn global condemnation.
The European Union joined the United States on Tuesday and warned it wanted to impose tough new sanctions on Iran over the bloody crackdown.
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said the proposed punitive measures targeting senior Iranian officials include “their property and the right to travel”.
Iran has repeatedly accused outside forces of staging the protests and said last week that nine foreign nationals, including those from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland, had been arrested.
On Wednesday, Iran summoned British Ambassador Simon Shercliffe to hear the protests over “obstacles” on the protests.
The unrest has stymied diplomatic efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major powers, which came close to a breakthrough before stalling again in recent months.
But the White House said “the problems with Iran’s behavior” differ from efforts to revive the nuclear deal.
Amini, 22, was pronounced dead after the notorious ethics police detained an Iranian Kurd last month for allegedly violating the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code for women.
Anger over his funeral flared up and became the biggest wave of protests to shake Iran in nearly three years, despite a backlash by security forces, which killed scores and arrested hundreds.
The students rallied over the weekend before being confronted by riot police, who surrounded them before taking them to an underground car park at Tehran’s prestigious Sharif University of Technology.
Since then schoolgirls have lathi-charged the country by removing their hijabs, raising anti-government slogans and maligning the images of clerical state leaders.
“Death to the dictator,” a group of bare-headed girls are heard chanting in reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as they exit a school in Karaj, west of Tehran, on Monday, allegedly by a man, the principal force it. Video verified by AFP.
Another group of girls sing “Woman, Jeevan, Freedom” as they march down a street in the Karaj neighborhood of Gohardasht.
“These are truly extraordinary scenes. If there is anything to be gained from these protests, it will be because of the schoolgirls,” Esfandyar Batmanglij of the Bourse and Bazar news and analysis website tweeted in response.
In other footage shared online, schoolgirls can be seen evacuating classrooms and also in flash-mob protests.
1500Pictures In a video shared by the social media channel, a furious group of girls are seen shouting “Get Lost, Basiji” in a reference to the paramilitary force at a man standing on a podium in the southern city of Shiraz.
AFP has been unable to independently confirm the footage.
As the women-led protests spread into a fourth week, Iran has widened its crackdown, rounded up the movement’s high-profile supporters and imposed internet restrictions limiting access to social media.
On Tuesday night, Iranian pop singer Sherwin Hajipour, who was arrested after his song in support of the protest went viral and became an anthem for the movement, was released on bail.
He told his 1.9 million Instagram followers, “I’m here to say that I’m fine. But I’m sorry that certain movements outside Iran—to which I have no affiliation—made some inappropriate political use of this song.” ” soon after his release.
Iran’s judiciary meanwhile launched an investigation into the death of teenage girl Nika Shakrami, who was allegedly killed during protests.
BBC Persian and Iran Wire had reported that authorities took possession of his body and buried it in secret on Monday to avoid a funeral that sparked further protests.
At least 92 protesters have been killed in the unrest, according to the Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights (IHR).
Amnesty International has confirmed 53 deaths, while the Fars news agency put the death toll last week at “around 60”. At least 12 security personnel are reported to have been killed.
The IHR said a further 63 people were killed last week when security forces “bloody suppressed” a protest in Zahedan, near Iran’s southeastern border with Pakistan.
A police chief in the area started the clash after Friday prayers during a protest amid allegations of raping a teenage girl from the Baloch Sunni minority, the statement said.
The action has drawn global condemnation.
The European Union joined the United States on Tuesday and warned it wanted to impose tough new sanctions on Iran over the bloody crackdown.
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said the proposed punitive measures targeting senior Iranian officials include “their property and the right to travel”.
Iran has repeatedly accused outside forces of staging the protests and said last week that nine foreign nationals, including those from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland, had been arrested.
On Wednesday, Iran summoned British Ambassador Simon Shercliffe to hear the protests over “obstacles” on the protests.
The unrest has stymied diplomatic efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major powers, which came close to a breakthrough before stalling again in recent months.
But the White House said “the problems with Iran’s behavior” differ from efforts to revive the nuclear deal.