Her “offense” was an “un-Islamic” outfit. When 22-year-old Mahsa Amiri was arrested in Iran for this reason, she died shortly thereafter. Now the country is full of sadness – and outrage.
The death of a young woman in the custody of Iran’s vice squad has sparked outrage and sadness across the country. The only 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was arrested because of an “un-Islamic” outfit. It is not yet clear who is responsible for her death.
Heart failure or torture?
One thing is clear: Mahsa Amini was arrested by the moral and religious police on Tuesday during a family visit in the capital, Tehran, because of a so-called “un-Islamic” outfit.
According to the police, Mahsa Amini fainted with heart failure and an epileptic seizure and was “taken to the hospital with the support of the police and emergency services”. After that she fell into a coma.
The version circulating in the country is much more drastic: After the arrest, Mahsa Amini is said to have been hit on the head, which led to a brain hemorrhage, a coma and ultimately her brain death. The police have so far vehemently denied this claim.
“Un-Islamic” outfit: was Amini punished despite hijab?
The actual allegation of the “un-Islamic” outfit has not yet been clarified: according to official reports, Amini did not wear a hijab as a head covering.
However, other sources say that Amini was wearing a hijab but that her hair was still visible – enough of a violation for the vice squad.
Complaint and investigation should bring clarity
In order to clarify the incident, there are now reactions from several directions: Mahsa Amiri’s brother has already announced a lawsuit. At the same time, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi instructed the Interior Ministry to immediately start investigations with a special team of experienced police officers and coroners.
Iran has had strict dress codes for women since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. For just as long, however, women, especially in the metropolises, ignored them – much to the annoyance of ultra-conservative politicians. The vice police sometimes use force to enforce the dress codes, which has led to protests and defiant reactions from women in recent weeks.
On Saturday, thousands attended the funeral of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in her hometown of Saghes, in northwestern Iran. There are said to have been isolated calls of protest against the Iranian police. Many Iranians also mourned the loss of the young woman on social media. There was also criticism of the moral police in parliament and from leading clerics, including ex-President Mohammad Khatami. In her view, the incident not only badly damaged the country’s reputation, but also that of Islam.
Sources: dpa
Source: Stern
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