Protests hit multiple cities in Iran for the first time in weeks
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Salma Hossein
- . February 17, 2023
- . Update: February 17, 2023 4:07 pm
Protests erupted in various cities in the Islamic Republic of Iran for the first time in weeks, according to the group Human Rights Activists in Iran.
Protesters marched through the streets of Tehran, Arak, Isfahan, Sanandaj and Izeh in the Khuzestan province, videos purported to show Friday.
The Hengaw Organization for Human Rights shared the videos on Twitter, which showed protesters burning roadblocks in Sanandaj, the capital of Kurdistan Province in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Protesters chanted, “Death to the Dictator!” Similar incidents were also reported in Tehran, the capital of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
February 16 marked 40 days after the execution of Mohammad Mehdi Karami. He was executed for his involvement in the Mahsa Amini protests.
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However, Iranian state media did not acknowledge the protests. The protests erupted in the Islamic Republic in September 2022 over the death of a 22-year-old Iranian woman, Mahsa Amini, after her arrest by the country’s morality police. She was arrested on September 13 for allegedly wearing a loose hijab and an inappropriate outfit.
The country’s morality police took her to the detention centre. However, she collapsed on the floor and was taken to a hospital in Tehran. She died on September 16 at the hospital. Since then, the demonstrations have morphed into one of the most serious challenges to the Iranian regime since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The protests slowed down in recent weeks due to executions and crackdowns. The Iranian authorities executed some people who participated in the protests.
According to Human Rights Activists in Iran, at least 529 people have been killed in protests. The Iranian authorities also detained 19,700 people amid a violent crackdown on protests.
The Iranian authorities have repeatedly accused foreign foes of fomenting protests in the country. However, Iran’s hard-line government did not provide any evidence to support its claims.
