Amnesty International is calling for international criminal investigations into Iranian officials over brutal repression following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd who died in custody in September 2022. Amini’s death, which sparked protests challenging the regime’s mandatory headscarf rule and the clerical-based system, led to a brutal crackdown by security forces using assault rifles and shotguns against protesters.
According to human rights groups, at least 551 people were killed and thousands more were arrested in the crackdown that followed Amini’s death. The ongoing persecution and defiance in Iran have left opponents of the clerical authorities facing a bleak and dangerous situation, with impunity for perpetrators and rampant executions continuing to plague the country.
Activists and exiles still hope that the protests sparked by Amini’s death will leave a lasting impact on Iran and bring about change, despite the challenges they face. Two years after her tragic passing, the memory of Mahsa Amini and the women-led protests that followed continue to inspire those who are seeking justice and reform in Iran.
Amnesty International’s call for international criminal investigations into Iranian officials is a crucial step towards accountability for the repression and violence that has been unleashed against protesters and dissenters in the country. The ongoing struggle for human rights and freedom in Iran remains a difficult and dangerous path, but the voices of those who continue to resist and speak out against injustice cannot be silenced.
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Video “Amnesty calls for int’l criminal investigations into Iranian officials over brutal repression” was uploaded on 09/16/2024 to Youtube Channel FRANCE 24 English