Mahsa Amini's One Year Memorial
In the heart of September 2022, Mahsa Jina Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, was arrested by Iran's morality police in Tehran for allegedly violating compulsory veiling laws. Three days later, on September 16, Mahsa Amini passed away in custody. The Iranian authorities claimed she died of a heart attack, but her body showed visible signs of torture which caused severe damage, almost paralyzing her.
News of Mahsa's death sparked widespread outrage across Iran. Images of her unconscious in a hospital bed spread on social media, and protests spontaneously erupted nationwide. Mahsa’s parents held a public funeral despite pressure not to, leading to protests in Saghez where women publicly removed their veils and cut their hair in solidarity.
The protests continued for weeks, spreading to almost all cities in Iran. Women burned hijabs and cut hair to show defiance. The slogan “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi” (“Woman, Life, Freedom”) emerged from Kurdish resistance and became central to the movement. This movement represents one of the largest spontaneous protests since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, involving both women and men demanding human rights and democracy.
The unrest following Mahsa Amini’s death resulted in over 500 deaths and thousands of arrests, marking a major turning point in Iran’s socio-political landscape. Among those arrested were two Iranian journalists, Hamedi and Mohammadi, who exposed Mahsa's death. They are among the seventeen journalists still imprisoned following the widespread anti-government protests.
According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Iranian authorities have imprisoned at least 75 journalists since Mahsa Amini's death. The journalists stood trial before a revolutionary court presided over by judge Abolghasem Salavati. The report on the imprisonment of these journalists was made by RSF.
Mahsa Amini's brother posted a photo of her damaged gravestone on Instagram, expressing frustration and determination to repair it. The killing of Mahsa Amini triggered violent protests in Tehran and many cities in the Islamic Republic, igniting a sustained nationwide protest movement demanding fundamental political and social change in Iran, rooted in a broader history of resistance to authoritarian repression and compulsory hijab laws.
