Mahsa Amini's Father Vows to Commemorate First Anniversary of Daughter's Death

Demonstrators shout slogans during a protest following the death of Mahsa Amini in Iran, near the Iranian consulate in Istanbul, Türkiye(File photo: Reuters)
Demonstrators shout slogans during a protest following the death of Mahsa Amini in Iran, near the Iranian consulate in Istanbul, Türkiye(File photo: Reuters)
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Mahsa Amini's Father Vows to Commemorate First Anniversary of Daughter's Death

Demonstrators shout slogans during a protest following the death of Mahsa Amini in Iran, near the Iranian consulate in Istanbul, Türkiye(File photo: Reuters)
Demonstrators shout slogans during a protest following the death of Mahsa Amini in Iran, near the Iranian consulate in Istanbul, Türkiye(File photo: Reuters)

Amjad Amini, the father of Mahsa Amini, confirmed that he will commemorate the first anniversary of the killing of his daughter next Saturday, despite the threats he received from the Iranian authorities.

According to information published by Iran International on Thursday, Amjad was summoned to the Intelligence Office in Saqqez several times in the past two days and asked not to commemorate the first anniversary of his daughter’s killing.

They warned the family against holding events on the first anniversary of his daughter's death. Mahsa’s father vowed to go ahead with commemorations at Mahsa's grave.

According to the information, he was interrogated for hours and pressured to cancel the invitation to commemorate the anniversary. He stressed: “I did not accept this at all, and we will hold the ceremony.”

Last week, Mahsa’s parents wrote a post on Instagram saying like any grieving family, they will gather to commemorate the anniversary and will uphold their traditional and religious ceremonies.

Earlier, security forces detained and transferred Mahsa’s uncle to an undisclosed location.

On Tuesday, the regime forces arrested Safa, Mahsa Amini’s maternal uncle, from his home.

In the past five months, as the anniversary of the Iranian protests approached, regime forces arrested at least 80 members of families demanding justice.

Recently, several reports claimed regime armed forces have deployed in Kurdish cities in Iran.

Reports also indicated that security measures have been tightened throughout Iran, especially in the provinces of Kurdistan and West Azerbaijan.

Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) established checkpoints in Sanandaj in the Kurdistan province.

The Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights reported “thousands” of IRGC special units sent to Amini's hometown of Saqqez, military vehicles deployed, and illegal checkpoints erected in Sanandaj.

Mahsa fell into a coma last year after being arrested by the morality police, and news of her death was published on September 16 in Kasra Hospital.

Hours after her death, several gathered in front of the hospital in protest, and during her funeral, a wave of protests broke out against the Iranian regime.

In the following days, the “Women, Life, Freedom” movement was formed after protests spread throughout the country.

According to human rights organizations, at least 570 citizens were killed in the protests, during which the regime’s armed forces attacked the demonstrators.

Thousands were arrested and sent to prison for participating in or supporting the protests.

Despite the Iranian regime's efforts to suppress protests, several organizations and groups called to organize marches and strikes throughout the country.

Gohar Eshghi, the mother of the 35-year-old blogger Sattar Beheshti, who was killed by the Iranian regime, called on the Iranian people to remember the young people who sacrificed their lives for the country.



Landmine Victims Gather to Protest US Decision to Supply Ukraine

 Activists and landmine survivors hold placards against the US decision to supply anti-personnel landmines to Ukrainian forces amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, during the Siem Reap-Angkor Summit on a Mine free World landmine conference in Siem Reap province on November 26, 2024. (AFP)
Activists and landmine survivors hold placards against the US decision to supply anti-personnel landmines to Ukrainian forces amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, during the Siem Reap-Angkor Summit on a Mine free World landmine conference in Siem Reap province on November 26, 2024. (AFP)
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Landmine Victims Gather to Protest US Decision to Supply Ukraine

 Activists and landmine survivors hold placards against the US decision to supply anti-personnel landmines to Ukrainian forces amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, during the Siem Reap-Angkor Summit on a Mine free World landmine conference in Siem Reap province on November 26, 2024. (AFP)
Activists and landmine survivors hold placards against the US decision to supply anti-personnel landmines to Ukrainian forces amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, during the Siem Reap-Angkor Summit on a Mine free World landmine conference in Siem Reap province on November 26, 2024. (AFP)

Landmine victims from across the world gathered at a conference in Cambodia on Tuesday to protest the United States' decision to give landmines to Ukraine, with Kyiv's delegation expected to report at the meet.

More than 100 protesters lined the walkway taken by delegates to the conference venue in Siem Reap where countries are reviewing progress on the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty.

"Look what antipersonnel landmines will do to your people," read one placard held by two landmine victims.

Alex Munyambabazi, who lost a leg to a landmine in northern Uganda in 2005, said he "condemned" the decision by the US to supply antipersonnel mines to Kyiv as it battles Russian forces.

"We are tired. We don't want to see any more victims like me, we don't want to see any more suffering," he told AFP.

"Every landmine planted is a child, a civilian, a woman, who is just waiting for their legs to be blown off, for his life to be taken.

"I am here to say we don't want any more victims. No excuses, no exceptions."

Washington's announcement last week that it would send anti-personnel landmines to Kyiv was immediately criticized by human rights campaigners.

Ukraine is a signature to the treaty. The United States and Russia are not.

Ukraine using the US mines would be in "blatant disregard for their obligations under the mine ban treaty," said Tamar Gabelnick, director of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.

"These weapons have no place in today´s warfare," she told AFP.

"[Ukraine's] people have suffered long enough from the horrors of these weapons."

A Ukrainian delegation was present at the conference on Tuesday, and it was expected to present its report on progress in clearing mines on its territory.