Revolution in Iran?
Be My Voice (2021):
Irani-exiled Masih Alinejad's fight against the Iranian regime's forced hijab laws.
Tehran- On September 16, 2022, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died after being detained by Iran’s morality police. Her crime: not following the dress code imposed by the authoritarian regime.
Amini’s death awakened many deep rooted concerns suppressed by authorities in Iran. It compelled people to raise voices and demand action.
It has been more than 6 weeks and people are still out on the streets demanding action from authorities.
The protests were initially focused on Iran's enforcement of a dress code. However, the demonstrations rapidly grew into calls for the overthrow of the theocracy that has ruled Iran for more than four decades, Euronews reported.
According to CNN, these protests have been characterized by activists and experts as a national uprising and one of the biggest challenges to the Iranian regime since its founding. According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), since September 16, the protests have spread to at least 133 cities and 129 universities as well as several secondary schools.
Calling the protesters ‘a dangerous threat’, the authorities have responded to the demonstrations with arrests and assaults.
The Volunteer Committee to Follow-Up on the Situation of Detainees which is an informal network of activists inside Iran, has said that as of October 30, in addition to mass arrests of protesters, intelligence agencies have arrested 130 human rights defenders, 38 women rights defenders, 36 political activists, 19 lawyers, and 38 journalists, the majority of whom remained in detention.
The authorities have also reportedly summoned, interrogated, or confiscated the passports of dozens of public figures who supported the protests, including directors, actors, singers, and football players, Human Rights Watch reported.
The detainees, according to the Human Rights Watch, have been subjected to various forms of physical and psychological torture and other ill-treatment. Two female detainees arrested during protests in Kurdistan province have reportedly been tortured. Beaten with batons, given electric shocks, exposed to sexual and verbal assaults and received death threats.
According to CNN, the “unabated violent response of security forces” in Iran has led to the reported deaths of at least 277 people.
The authorities also announced to hold public trials for 1,000 people arrested in connection to the protests with some of them carrying the death penalty.
The violence and assault by authorities, however, have not stopped the people of Iran from raising their voices and speaking against the injustices.
Persepolis (2007):
A precocious and outspoken Iranian girl grows up during the Islamic Revolution.