It’s been one year since Mahsa Amini, 22, was arrested by Iran’s morality police. She was detained for allegedly not wearing a headscarf properly in Tehran.
Amini died in custody three days after her arrest on September 16, with her family and local media alleging she was bashed by police.
Her death in custody led to widespread protests across Iran which became one of the biggest and most serious challenges to Iran’s ruling authorities since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement spread across the world, with many people joining protests in solidarity.
Now, human rights groups have said that authorities in Iran are cracking down on dissent in the lead up to the anniversary of Amini’s death in a bid to avoid a surge of more protests.
Here in Australia, Foreign Minister Penny Wong has marked the anniversary of Amini’s death by imposing new sanctions and travel bans on four individuals and three entities that are responsible for the oppression of people, especially women and girls, in Iran.
The individuals hit with sanctions include police spokesperson for Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces Saeed Montazer Al-Mahdi, “who has repeatedly made intimidating and threatening statements towards Iranian women and girls for purportedly violating Iran’s mandatory veiling laws”, according to Wong.
The entities targeted with sanctions include Iran’s Cyber Police, who used internet blackouts amid widespread protests in the wake of Amini’s death, as well as Press TV, the state-backed TV channel which has broadcast the forced confessions of Iranians and dual-nationals who are detained and tried under politically motivated judicial procedures.
“The Australian Government will continue to take decisive and targeted action to hold Iran to account for its egregious human rights violations,” Wong said.
“Australia stands in solidarity with the people of Iran, especially the courageous women and girls who continue to demonstrate immense bravery in the face of ongoing repression.
“We call on the Iranian regime to hold those responsible for the death of Mahsa Jina Amini to account.”