On Sept.13, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was taken into custody by the Iranian Guidance patrol in the capital city of Iran. A typical visit to her brother turned deadly when Islamic religious police detained her for improper coverage of her hijab.

The installation of this Islamic religious police originated from the 1979 revolution. During the revolution, the Iranian government was overthrown by Ayatollah Khomeini, and the country fell under suffocating rule by the Islamic Republic. One of the most significant changes to Iranian society was the mandatory wearing of hijabs for all girls above the age of nine. Islamic religious police, or guidance patrol, were stationed in major Iranian cities to arrest people who violate the Islamic dress code, usually concerning the wearing of hijabs by women. There have been multiple violent incidents involving the merciless abuse of women and trans women improperly wearing their hijabs in the streets of cities by the religious police. Incidents like these go unacknowledged by law enforcement in the city, and the oppressive rule continues.

Today, CNN reports that Iran is experiencing the largest protests since at least 2009’s Arab Spring. Even so, the protests occurring are much more widespread and violent than those recorded in 2009. Since the 1979 revolution, citizens have tried and failed for 43 years to break free from the authoritarian monarchy that the Iranian government transformed into. Mahsa Amini has become a face for the outrage and injustice that has been ignored by the government and the world for too long.

When Amini was arrested, her brother Kiarash was told that she was being taken to the detention center for a briefing class and released an hour later. Two hours after her arrest, she was taken to the hospital, and her family was informed that a sudden heart attack and brain seizure had left her in a coma. Her family rushed to the hospital to find a gory display of bruises and wounds on her face and body. Images of her condition were uploaded to the internet after she died in the Intensive care unit three days later.
After the Iranian government released a coverup statement declaring that Mahsa had prior heart conditions, CT scans taken after her arrest were released by an unknown hacker showing bone fractures, hemorrhaging and brain edema. Statements from her cellmates confirm that Mahsa was brutally beaten with batons for resisting the insults and cursing of multiple officers.

Her story sparked widespread protests throughout the country. Demonstrators first gathered outside the hospital only hours after Mahsa died, and the streets of the capital city have been filled with displays of defiance and revolt. The overwhelming citizen turnout for these protests has left the Iranian police struggling to control the mass protests. Amnesty International reported that Iranian security forces resorted to firing into large groups with live ammunition.
According to Iran Human Rights (IHR), as of Oct. 17, the death toll from protests alone has exceeded 215 citizens, with at least 27 being children. While Iran still faces an upward battle of violence and fight before change can occur, citizens from other countries around the world have been holding protests in support.

Pictures from mass protests around the world have gone viral, including ones from Washington, D.C., Milan, Italy, Santiago, Chile, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Berlin, Germany, and Pristina, Kosovo. Ways to show support include checking social media to find a protest nearby, and sharing and reposting fact-based information to lift the voices of those trapped inside Iran. If you are searching for places to make legitimate donations, look to the Center for Human Rights in Iran or Amnesty International to make helpful contributions.