Mahsa Amini, the Iranian whose death sparked a wave of largescale demonstrations in Iran, died on the day she was arrested in Tehran after a “violent blow to the head” by vice squads, says her cousin who lives in Iraq.
The 22yearold was on a family vacation in the Iranian capital on September 13 when she ran into the vice squad tasked with enforcing the strict dress code for women in the Islamic Republic, Erfan Salih Mortezaee told AFP.
He has been in Iraqi Kurdistan (North) for a year, where he joined the Iranian Kurdish nationalist group Komala, which has long been leading an insurgency against the Iranian government.
He claims to have called Mahsa Amini’s mother, who told him about the events of that fateful September 13th.
2 of 6 Mahsa Amini in an undated image — Photo: Reproduction/Via Portal
Mahsa Amini in an undated photo — Photo: Reproduction/Via Portal
According to him, the young woman was in Tehran, accompanied by her parents and a 17yearold brother, to visit family members.
Mahsa, her brother and other women in the family were strolling around the capital, and when they exited the Haghani subway station, “the vice police stopped them,” says Mortezaee, who is interviewing at a Komala base near Suleimaniya became.
3 out of 6 protests take over the streets of Tehran, Iran — Photo: WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Portal
Protests take over the streets of Tehran, Iran — Photo: WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Portal
The younger brother tried to explain to the officials that they were “the first time in Tehran” and “didn’t know the local traditions”. It was useless.
“The police officer told her, ‘we’re going to take her to teach her the rules and teach her how to wear the hijab and how to dress,'” added the cousin, who assures that the young woman “is like everyone else was dressed women ‘from Iran, and she wore a hijab’.
4 of 6 A woman publicly cuts her hair in protest in Iran — Photo: Yasin AKGUL / AFP
A woman publicly cuts her hair in protest in Iran Photo: Yasin AKGUL / AFP
In Iran, women are required to cover their hair and body below the knees. But most women allow themselves certain liberties, such as a slightly loose veil or a veil that partially covers the hair.
“Police beat Jhina (Kurdish name for Mahsa Amini) in front of her brother who testified,” adds Mortezaee.
“They beat her, with a stick they hit her hands, her legs,” he insists.
They also pepper sprayed her brother’s face to neutralize him before taking the women away in a police van.
5 of 6 The Iranian flag is raised in front of the Iranian embassy in Albania — Photo: Portal/Florion Goga
An Iranian flag is hoisted in front of the Iranian embassy in Albania (Photo: Portal/Florion Goga)
According to Mortezaee, beatings continued aboard the vehicle.
“When they hit her on the head, she lost consciousness,” he says.
After arriving at the police station, it took at least an hour and a half before she was taken to the hospital, according to Mortezaee. After three days in a coma, the young woman died on September 16.
According to the mother through her cousin, family doctors told the daughter that the daughter received “a severe blow to the head.”
6 of 6 Discover the different types of Islamic veils — Photo: Arte g1
Discover the different types of Islamic veils — Photo: Arte g1
Mahsa Amini’s family has filed a complaint against the “authors behind her arrest”.
“Masha Amini’s family has filed a complaint against the perpetrators of her daughter’s arrest and (the police officers) who have spoken to her since her arrival at the vice squad,” family lawyer Me Saleh Nikbakht said.
Death of a young Iranian insurgency: Mahsa Amini had been arrested for not dressing properly
Authorities deny any involvement in Mahsa Amini’s death. Since then, Iranians have been demonstrating daily to protest this death.
According to a report released Tuesday by Iran’s Fars News Agency, “about 60 people have been killed” in the demonstrations since September 16. But the Oslobased NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR) estimates at least 76 dead.
In addition, according to the authorities, more than 1,200 protesters were arrested.
In Iran, which has been hit by US sanctions and is suffering from a severe economic crisis, there have been frequent demonstrations in recent years.
But this time, “women are at the forefront and bravely taking part in the protests,” says Mortezaee.