Mahsa (Jina) Amini was visiting Tehran with her brother on September 13th. She
was a 22 year old from the Kurdistan province of Iran. She was arrested by themorality police, the Gasht-e Ershad, near an underground station in the centre.The reason for her arrest? She was wearing her headscarf (hijab) loosely aroundher head and neck. For the morality police this was in an "improper" way. Theytold her brother that she would be taken to a 'briefing class' at a detentioncentre and would then be released. However, soon after, she was taken to Kasrahospital in a coma and died there on September 16th. ---- What happened after herarrest still remains obscure. The Tehran police issued a statement two days afterher arrest stating that she had "suddenly suffered from a heart problem" and wasthen taken to hospital. Her family vigorously denied that she had any healthproblems.The police then rushed to deny that there had been any violence used by themorality police. Photos show blood pouring from one of Mahsa Amini's ears, andthe lawyer Saeed Dehghan stated that Mahsa had suffered fractures to her skulland had been murdered. Furthermore, officials at Kasra Hospital put out astatement that she was already brain-dead when she arrived there.Hundreds of people began gathering outside the hospital immediately after theannouncement of Mahsa Amini's death. Demonstrations spread to other parts ofTehran and to cities in Kurdistan with a total of 20 rallies to protest her death.The police responded with tear gas and began arresting demonstrators. Slogansbegan to be chanted such as "Women, life, freedom", "Death to the dictator","Killed for a hijab- how much more humiliation?"The Internet in Iran became flooded with messages of protest and the Iraniangovernment responded by shutting down in parts of Tehran and Kurdistan, blockingaccess to Instagram and WhatsApp.Young women began burning their hijabs and this was broadcast through a videoseen thousands of times on Twitter. On the university campuses in Tehran manywomen demonstrators removed their hijabs and held them in the air as a protest.Some shave all of their hair off in protest. Many stood in front of the policewithout hijabs in defiance.The demonstrations began quickly to voice demands for the overthrow of theIslamic Republic. Calls for a general strike were advanced. In response theIranian President, Ebrahim Raisi was forced to state on September 18th that therewould be an investigation into the morality police. For their part theRevolutionary Guard, the paramilitary organisation that enforces the rule of theIslamic Republic, called on judges to prosecute anyone who "spreads fake news andrumours" on social media.The police and Revolutionary Guard opened fire on demonstrations and at least 17people were killed and hundreds injured. The Iranian State began to orchestratecounter-demonstrations where the executions of "offenders of the Qur'an" weredemanded. Meanwhile the so-called Ministry of Intelligence labelled protestors asseditionists opposed to religious values.We have previously reported here on the ACG website about waves of protest inIran, in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Unfortunately, these were quickly repressed.However this current upsurge seems to be acquiring some magnitude, in particularwith the courage and determination of the demonstrators, particularly the youngwomen. It comes at a time when there is deep discontent over the growing economichardships, concern over global warming, and disgust at the extent of officialcorruption.Police cars have been overturned, police stations burnt to the ground and massanger has been concentrated on the police and Revolutionary Guard.Raisi has now said that the regime must 'deal decisively with those who opposethe country's security and tranquility'.The supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini is likely to die soon and the revulsionof many at the imposition of religious regulations, with an independent survey in2020 indicating that 72% opposed compulsory wearing of the hijab, point to bigchanges coming. The Islamic Republic must be overthrown and the Gasht-e Ershadand Revolutionary Guard defeated and smashed. This can only come about throughmass action, with the working class and the poor and women taking a leading role.The regime of the Western-backed Shah was overthrown in 1979 thanks to theactions of the masses on the streets. During the course of that revolutionaryupsurge, we saw the appearance of shoras, or working class committees, that hademerged from the strike movement against the Shah. Unfortunately, the IranianRevolution was subverted by the forces of clerical reaction and the IslamicRepublic was imposed, ruling for the last four decades.The present situation offers possibilities for the emergence of a new revolution,the overthrow of the theocracy and the establishment of a new society based onfreedom and equality and the ending of the State and capitalism. This would haveimmense repercussions for the whole Middle East and would renew revolutionaryhope. Time will tell whether this happens.https://www.anarchistcommunism.org/2022/09/27/the-death-of-mahsa-amini-the-beginning-of-a-revolution/_________________________________________A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C EBy, For, and About AnarchistsSend news reports to A-infos-en mailing listA-infos-en@ainfos.ca
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