Iranian Authorities Crackdown on Protests Marking 40 Days of Mourning for Amini

Iranian women without headscarves during a demonstration in Shiraz (Twitter)

Marking 40 days since the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman who died in Tehran on Sept. 16 after being detained by Iran’s morality police, Iranians took to the streets nationwide in defiance of strict security measures by authorities.

Fierce rallies returned with force to major Iranian cities such as Isfahan, Shiraz, Mashhad, and Tabriz. Demonstrations were also organized in Qazvin, Zanjan, Babylon, Rasht, Kerman, Arak, Urmia, and Karaj.

Security forces used tear gas, live ammunition, and batons to disperse protesters in several areas in central Tehran. Protesters raised slogans mostly targeting Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

On Wednesday, thousands of people participated in a memorial for Amini in Saqez, her hometown in Kurdistan Province.

“Security forces have shot tear gas and opened fire on people in Zindan square, Saqez city,” reported Hengaw, a Norway-based group that monitors rights violations in Kurdistan.

Many chanted “woman, life, freedom” and “freedom, freedom”, slogans that have been widely used in the demonstrations across Iran.

Protesters also chanted “Kurdistan will be the graveyard of fascists” in the cemetery where Amini is buried.

“A limited number of those present at Amini’s memorial clashed with police forces on the outskirts of Saqez and were dispersed,” semi-official Iranian state news agency ISNA said.

ISNA also said the internet had been cut in Saqez for “security reasons,” and that nearly 10,000 people had gathered in the city.

A witness in Saqez told Reuters that the cemetery where Amini is buried was crowded with Basij forces and police.

Crowds of people have made a pilgrimage to Amini's grave despite pressure from the authorities.

The state news agency IRNA issued a statement saying that the family had not planned to hold a ceremony to commemorate the 40th day of Amini’s death “to avoid any unfortunate problems.”

Activists told AFP that Iranian security services warned Amini’s family not to hold any events on the day, otherwise “they should worry about their son's life.”