The 22-year-old girl’s father, Amjad Amini, “was arrested this morning by Iranian repressive forces” as he left his home in Saqez, Kurdistan, “and returned a few hours later,” according to the organization Iran Human Rights (IHR). non-governmental organization opposing the Iranian regime based in Oslo, Norway.

One year ago today, Masha Amini died after being arrested by Iranian customs police for not wearing the Islamic veil, an episode that sparked unprecedented civic protests against the theocratic regime in Tehran, which violently repressed the demonstrations, which are still continuing. .

IHR’s information on this detention was corroborated by the activist group Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, which denounces human rights violations in Iranian Kurdistan and which attributes the detention of Amjad Amini to the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological army of the Tehran regime.

Amjad Amini has been taken at least four times in recent weeks for questioning by various security forces, who have pressured and disrespected him, according to Hengaw.

In information posted on its website, despite warnings from authorities, the Amini family said in a statement: “Like any grieving family, we, the Amini family, will gather at the grave of our beloved daughter, Jina (Mahsa) Amini, on the anniversary of his death, and we will organize traditional and religious ceremonies.

According to the two organizations, Masha Amini’s family home is “surrounded by soldiers” to prevent a religious ceremony marking the young woman’s death from taking place.

Iranian security forces have imposed severe restrictions on access to the cemetery where Amini is buried and where, the day after his death, the wave of civic protests began.

Under the slogans “woman, life, freedom”, thousands of demonstrators called for the end of the regime, during demonstrations which left 500 dead, including seven executed (including one in public), and thousands of people arrested.

In recent weeks, Iranian authorities have stepped up warnings and crackdowns to try to prevent the first anniversary of Amini’s death from turning into new protests.

According to Amnesty International, dozens of family members of those who died during the protests have been arbitrarily detained, while restrictions on access to the places where they are buried have been imposed, and there have even been cases of destruction of tombstones.

Safa Aeli, Amini’s uncle, was arrested last week in Saqez, where he lives, and his whereabouts have been unknown since.

Amini was arrested by Iranian customs police on September 13, 2022 for alleged misuse of the “hijab”, the Islamic veil, after emerging dead three days later, while still in police custody.

Despite the visibility of the protests and international attention, the civic movement has yet to threaten the foundations of the theocratic regime led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The United States, in coordination with the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, announced on Thursday the imposition of sanctions against 25 Iranian citizens (members of the security forces and the Revolutionary Guards), three intelligence agencies (Press TV and the Tasnim and Fars agencies). ) and a company “linked to internet censorship” in the country – all linked to the crackdown on civic protests.

Today, the spokesperson for Iranian diplomacy, Nasser Kanani, reacted to the sanctions, calling them “interventionist statements” and “ridiculous and hypocritical spectacles”.

SBR // JMR

By Impala News / Lusa

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