Iranian police call woman’s death ‘unfortunate’ as protests persist

DUBAI, Sept 19 (Reuters) – Iranian police said on Monday the death of a young woman in police custody was an “unfortunate incident”, a semi-official news agency reported, and denied accusations of wrongdoing. treatment that fueled a third day of protests against the authorities.

Mahsa Amini, 22, fell into a coma and died following her arrest in Tehran last week by morality police, sparking protests in Tehran and the province of Kurdistan where she was from. Read more

His death was condemned across the country, with the Persian hashtag #MahsaAmini reaching nearly 2 million mentions on Twitter. The most intense protests have taken place in Iranian Kurdistan, where authorities have already cracked down on unrest among Kurdish minorities.

On Monday, protesters threw stones at security forces in the town of Divandarreh in the Kurdish region, video posted to Twitter by Kurdish rights group Hengaw showed.

A widely followed Iranian Twitter account that focuses on protests in Iran said shopkeepers had gone on strike in Kurdish towns.

Reuters could not verify the authenticity of the video.

Police say Amini fell ill while waiting with other women detained by the vice squad, which enforces strict rules imposed since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution requiring women to cover their hair and wear loose clothing in public.

But her father told the pro-reform news site Emtedad on Sunday that his daughter had no health problems, adding that she suffered bruises on her legs and that he held police responsible for her death.

Greater Tehran Police Commander Hossein Rahimi said ‘cowardly charges’ had been leveled against Iranian police, Amini had not suffered any physical injuries and police had ‘done everything’ to hold her down urge.

“This incident was unfortunate for us and we wish never to witness such incidents,” Rahimi said in a statement reported by the Fars news agency.

Police released video showing a woman identified as Amini entering a room and sitting down next to other people. It then fast forwards to show her standing up talking to someone who was inspecting some of her clothing.

The woman then put her hands to her head and collapsed.

Rahimi said paramedics arrived within a minute and

he could not comment on the cause of death as it was a medical issue.

Violators of Iran’s Sharia, or Islamic law, face public reprimands, fines or arrest. But activists have recently urged women to remove the veil despite radical leaders’ crackdown on “immoral behaviour”. Read more

An official organization that promotes Islamic morals has called for a reform of the way Iran enforces rules on wearing the hijab, calling for less policing and more encouragement for women to respect hijabs. rules.

“CLERICS, GET LOST”

Protests erupted at Amini’s funeral in his hometown of Saqez on Saturday, with videos on social media showing protesters chanting against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and women removing headscarves. Read more

His death could raise tensions between the establishment and a Kurdish minority of 8-10 million.

Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards have suppressed unrest in Kurdish parts of the country for decades and many Kurdish activists have been sentenced to long prison terms or death.

Videos shared on Twitter on Sunday showed protesters demonstrating in Sanandaj, capital of Kurdistan province.

Video posted by Hengaw showed security forces in riot gear running down a street there, with at least one firing what appeared to be a gun.

Masoud Barzani, former president of the Kurdish region of Iraq, sent his condolences to Amini’s family on Sunday, his Facebook page said.

The widely followed Iranian protest Twitter account posted footage showing what it said was a demonstration at a Tehran university against the Basij, a paramilitary militia.

“I will kill the one who killed my sister… With cannons, tanks or firecrackers, the religious are lost”, chanted the demonstrators.

Reuters could not independently verify the videos.

Reporting from Dubai Newsroom; Written by Tom Perry, edited by Toby Chopra and Ed Osmond

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