On 16 September 2022, Mahsa Amini was brutally beaten after encountering Iran’s Morality Police. Amini was travelling to visit her uncle in Tehran when she caught the attention of officials, who found her attire inappropriate. And what exactly was this woman wearing to garner state attention? A loose hijab. A woman was beaten to death by the morality police for the despicable act of wearing a loose hijab.
The brutality of this act rightly sent shock waves across the world; millions of protests ensued in effort to fight for justice. Yet, again, a woman’s right to life was taken away due to the lack of conformity to “socially acceptable” norms.
This incident sheds light on the troublesome presence of Iran’s morality police. This government sector was founded between 1979 and 1990 to persecute women based on their attire. Amini is one of the many women subjected to humiliation and brutality by this authority.
The eleven days of protest in Iran following the incident have resulted in the death of 41 civilians and mass arrests of over 1,500 protesters. Currently, protests are being held around the globe, asking for decisive action to be taken against the morality police.
The Iranian police claimed that this violent killing didn’t occur and that the young Amini passed away due to a heart attack. This narrative was presented to conceal an evident abuse of power by the Irani government. Thankfully people weren’t ready to accept this pathetic coverup based on the plethora of facts pointing toward the gruesome murder.
After days of protest, we were finally able to see some level of progress with a nationally televised conference. The Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi publicly stated, “If her death was due to negligence, it would definitely be investigated.”
Despite Rasi’s acknowledgments of the issue, citizens want to see authorities take concrete action. The words of sympathy from authorities aren’t enough to bring rightfully angry citizens peace.
On a global spectrum, countries like Canada and The United States of America have pressed sanctions on the Iranian morality police. Fortunately, as days go by, more and more nations are uniting in the fight for women’s rights in Iran.
As the aftermath of this tragic murder continues to unfold, we, as individuals, can contribute to women’s safety in Iran. There are several ways to aid in this pursuit of justice:
- Joining local protests in order to garner more attention
- Reposting accurate information to educate and inform people
- Donating to Human rights organizations in Iran (NIAC action pac, NCRI Women’s Committee, Center for Human Rights in Iran, and Amnesty International are just a few examples of legitimate organizations that work to help Iranian women)
It is important to note that the fight for equality isn’t over. Millions of women continue to suffer to gain fundamental human rights across the world. Mahsa Amini’s death is one of many instances of brutality against women that will continue to be pursued unless we take global action.
Rest in peace Mahsa Amini.