FEBRUARY 17 (Reuters) – After seemingly dwindling in recent weeks as marchers calling for the overthrow of the Islamic Republic took part in demonstrations, Iran was rocked again on Thursday night.
The marches, which began Thursday night and continued into many cities, including Tehran, marked 40 days since last month’s executions of two protesters.
Mohammad Mehdi Karami and Mohammad Hosseini were hanged on 8 January. Two of his others he was executed in December.
Protests that have swept across Iran began last September when Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman, died in custody for ignoring hijab policies that require women to cover their hair and body completely. rice field.
Friday’s video showed demonstrations in several districts of Tehran, as well as the cities of Karaj, Isfahan, Qazbin, Rasht, Arak, Mashhad, Sanandaj, Korbe and Ize in Khuzestan province.
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Reuters was able to see three of the videos of the protests in Zahedan and one in Tehran.
An online video purportedly released in the Shiite holy city of Mashhad in the northeast showed protesters chanting: “Brothers martyred, reward your blood.”
Other videos showed mass protests Friday in Zahedan, the capital of the southeastern province of Sistan-Baltistan, home to Iran’s Balti minority.
Meanwhile, judicial officials said the court had fired and jailed a police chief accused of raping a girl.
The incident sparked outrage ahead of September 30 protests that faced a crackdown in Zahedan, where at least 66 people were killed, according to Amnesty International. read more
A long wave of unrest has faced one of the greatest challenges to the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution. Women who openly disregard hijab rules wave their hands, burn their scarves and cut their hair.
While the riots seem to have subsided in recent weeks, perhaps due to executions and crackdowns, acts of civil disobedience continue.
[1/5] People participate in a protest in Zahedan, Iran, in this screengrab from a social media video released on February 17, 2023 and obtained by Reuters.Video obtained by Reuters
Every night, anti-government chants are echoed in Tehran and other cities. Young people spray graffiti denouncing the republic at night or burn pro-government billboards and signs on highways. Unveiled women appear in streets, malls, shops and restaurants despite warnings from officials.
Among the dozens of recently released prisoners, many have posed naked for the cameras.
Authorities have not withdrawn their mandatory hijab policy, a pillar of the Islamic Republic.
In recent weeks, Iranian media have reported that several businesses, restaurants and cafes have been closed for not adhering to hijab rules.
Last week, Iranian officials called on trade unions to strictly enforce hijab regulations in Tehran’s shops and businesses.
Female students who wear the veil “inappropriately” were warned last month that they would be barred from attending Tehran University. Meanwhile, local media reported that about 50 students had been denied admission to Urmia University in the northwest for ignoring hijab rules.
More than 500 protesters, including 71 minors, have been killed since September, according to human rights activists. About 20,000 people are detained. At least four people were hanged, according to judicial authorities.
Karami and Hosseini, 22-year-old karate champions, were convicted of killing a member of the Basij militia.
Amnesty International said the court that convicted Karami relied on forced confessions. Hosseini’s lawyer said his client was tortured.
The other two were executed on 8 and 12 December respectively.
Five female activists released Thursday said their freedom was due to the solidarity of “freedom lovers and the youth of Iran,” according to a social media post.
“Freedom Day is near,” they said in a statement.
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