Mahsa Amini: 22 Year Old Lady Loses Life in the Custody of Iran’s Morality Police
Human Rights Reporters
2 min read
State media in Iran have reported the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who was detained by the morality police after falling into coma. Her arrest comes after she was accused of breaking the strict Islamic dress code being enforced by the special unit.
Preliminary investigation shows she died as a result of head injury she suffered while in detention. The Iran police further state that she died suddenly after suffering a heart problem while in the company of other women who were receiving what they call “instructions” about the rules.
Ebrahim Raisi, President of Iran, has directed the interior to open an inquiry into the untimely demise of Mahsa Amini as Iranian legislators have also promised to raise the issue on the floor of parliament.
Amnesty International, in a reaction to her death said, “The circumstances leading to the suspicious death in custody of 22-year-old young woman Mahsa Amini, which include allegations of torture and other ill-treatment in custody, must be criminally investigated.”
The morality police continues to come for criticism of their conduct both internally and outside the country. Gasht-e Ershad or Guidance Patrol as they known carry out some of the strictest Islamic laws for people especially women.
Mahsa was shortly arrested by the morality police during a visit with her family to Tehran, capital city of Iran, for not wearing a headscarf. The mandatory dress code, which applies to all nationalities and religions, not just Iranian Muslims, requires women to conceal their hair and neck with a headscarf.
While the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has eased his stance on women who do not comply with the official dress code, it is reported that hardliners have called for harsher punishment and in some cases lashes to be dished to offended.
This they argue, that, allowing women to show their hair leads to moral decay and the disintegration of families. Mahsa Amini was seen beaten in a police van as she was picked up. Many citizens have taken to social media to register their displeasure and continue to condemn brutal attacks of women who fail to wear head coverings, labeling the morality police as Murder Patrols.
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