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For weeks, the youth in Iran have faced a violent crackdown by security forces for participating in widespread protests over the death of a woman while in the custody of the country’s so-called “morality police.”
Video clips from some of the protests have emerged online and offer a glimpse of the movement. Women could be seen removing their head coverings while chanting for freedom. Viral videos have also emerged on social media that show Iranian youth running up from behind and knocking off head scarves worn by Muslim clerics who were out for a leisurely stroll.
The Norway-based Iran Human Rights NGO said Iranian security forces have killed at least 326 people, including 50 minors, as of Thursday. About 15,100 people have been detained by police.
At least 82 died on 30 September alone in Sistan-Baluchistan.
The Wall Street Journal noted that the province is one of the poorest in the country, with a large Sunni Muslim minority that claims to have been mistreated by Tehran for decades.
CNN reported that Molavi Abdolhamid, Iran’s most prominent Sunni cleric, asked where the country’s military got trained to shoot people.
“Authorities must condemn this crime, and those who ordered (the events of) Bloody Friday and its perpetrators must be brought to trial,” he said during his Friday prayer sermon in the region.
The crackdown has been called “Bloody Friday” and galvanized protesters in other regions of the country.
The international community has been monitoring these protests and believe Tehran is getting more desperate by the day to get them under control.
Human rights experts who were appointed by the UN called on Iranian authorities to stop indicting protesters on charges that can be punishable by death, and using the severe form of punishment to squash protests.
Eight individuals have been charged by the Islamic Revolution Court late last month on crimes that could carry the death penalty because they were “waging war against God.”
Earlier this month, members of the country’s Parliament called on the judiciary to “act decisively against those arrested during the protests and to carry out the death penalty punishments,” the UN said.
How We Got Here
Mahsa Amini, a 22 year old, died while in “morality police” custody in September for allegedly not abiding by the country’s dress code. We’ve noted that these protests are focused on her death, but grew to include aggravation over the lack of basic living standards and dissatisfaction with the government rule and a faltering economy.
The “crime” that Amini committed was that she was not properly wearing her hijab in public.
She was arrested on 13 September and reports indicate that she was badly beaten while in custody. She fell into a coma and died three days later. Some photos circulated online purporting to show Amini in the hospital with serious bruises to her face.
Iran said she died of a heart attack and that her death was from natural causes.
TRENDPOST: The Trends Journal has reported extensively on the protests that have rattled Tehran. (See “PROTESTS CONTINUE TO RAGE IN IRAN, KURDISH STUDENT’S DEATH ADDS TO TENSIONS,” “HYPOCRITES ON PARADE: WESTERN WEAPONS CONTINUE TO FLOW INTO KYIV, BUT CONDEMN IRAN FOR SENDING WEAPONS TO RUSSIA” and “IRANIAN PROTESTS CONTINUE TO ESCALATE.”)
We have noted that while the protests have focused on Amini’s death, this was a spark that ignited pent up aggravations of lack of basic living standards, dissatisfaction with government rule and a faltering economy.
(See “NEW STUDY CEMENTS TRENDS JOURNAL FORECAST: THE NEW WORLD DISORDER.”)
Indeed, what is happening in Iran is, and will continue to escalate worldwide as people take to the streets in protest of the lack of basic living standards, government corruption, crime and violence.
We have been forecasting the “New World Disorder” trend for more than two years. We noted that politicians across the globe are fighting for survival against angry citizens who are taking to the streets in protest of lack of basic living standards, government corruption, crime and violence. (See “NEW WORLD DISORDER TOP TREND: NATIONS SINKING DEEPER, PEOPLE SCREAMING LOUDER.”)