Iran has been intensifying its crackdown on protesters and their relatives ahead of the anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death.
Mahsa Amini was a 26-year-old civil activist and women’s rights campaigner who was forcibly disappeared and murdered in September 2020. Since then, her death has become a rallying point for civil activists and protesters in Iran.
The Iranian government has responded to the increased unrest by launching a new wave of crackdowns on those associated with the protests, whether they actively participated or not. In the run-up to the anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death, numerous activists and the relatives of activists who are no longer alive have been rounded up and arrested.
This has included extrajudicial arrests of people accused of “disturbing public order” by expressing their opinions online. There has also been a massive increase in the number of raids on activists’ homes in the days leading up to the anniversary. Several of the arrested activists have been denied access to legal counsel and are being held without charge in solitary confinement, according to human rights groups.
Meanwhile, intelligence agents are reportedly calling the relatives of those killed during the protests and asking them to “cooperate” in exchange for reduced punishment, as well as threats of arrest if they don’t comply.
Government officials have refused to comment on the new wave of arrests, instead claiming that arrests are “for security reasons” or are due to “illegal activities”. This silence suggests that the Iranian government is looking to bury the truth about the arrests and prevent a further uprising by silencing the voices of civil activists.
Mahsa Amini’s legacy as an inspirational activist has brought the attention of the international rights community to Iran and the injustices suffered by its people. In the face of these oppressive measures, the people of Iran continue to stand together, demanding justice and respect for their human rights.
In the memory of Mahsa Amini, it is the responsibility of the international community to keep standing by the Iranian people in their quest for justice and accountability.
