​​How to Help Iranian Women Following the Death of Mahsa Amini

Mass protests have erupted across Iran following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody earlier this month. On September 13, the young woman, originally from the city of Saqqez, was arrested by the “morality police” in the Iranian capital Tehran and taken to a “re-education center” for allegedly not wearing her hijab properly. At the time of her arrest, she was with her brother Kiaresh Amini.

According to a United Nations report, Amini was brutally beaten by the police and taken to Vozara detention center. There Amini collapsed and went into a coma. She was transferred to Kasra Hospital where she died on Friday 16 September. Iranian authorities claimed Mahsa died of a heart attack, but her family confirmed she had no pre-existing heart problems, according to CNN.

It is widely believed that Amini was tortured and killed by the police. Her father, Amjad Amini, said doctors prohibited him from seeing his daughter after she died in hospital. “They lie. They tell lies. Everything is a lie…no matter how much I begged, they wouldn’t let me see my daughter,” he told BBC Persia on September 21, per CNN.

Amini’s death has sparked outrage in Iran, mobilizing thousands – especially women and young people – to take to the streets to demand an end to oppression and violence against women. Below we explain the latest on the demonstrations, how you can help, where you can donate and how to keep up to date with the protests in Iran.

Latest updates on protests

Anti-Iranian government protests have spread to dozens of Iranian cities since Mahsa Amini’s death. According to state media, 35 people were killed The New York Times, but human rights organizations believe the death toll is much higher. As of September 27, BBC reports that 76 protesters have been killed.

Women and youth are at the forefront of these protests. After the Iranian revolution of 1979, women were subjected to severe, repressive restrictions. Corresponding the washington post, The regime has forced Iranian women to wear a hijab for nearly four decades. Since Amini’s death, in a notable act of defiance, women have shed their headscarves, set them on fire in the street or cut their hair in public.

Accordingly, the Iranian government blocked Internet access in the country last week Politicallyto limit communications and suppress the distribution of footage of protests. In response, the United States Treasury Department announced plans to expand Internet access in Iran.

“As courageous Iranians take to the streets to protest the death of Mahsa Amini, the United States is doubling down on its support for the free flow of information to the Iranian people,” Deputy Finance Minister Wally Adeyemo said in a press release. “Today, the Ministry of Finance announces the extension of Iran’s General License D-2, which will expand the range of internet services available to Iranians. With these changes, we are helping the Iranian people be better equipped to counter government efforts to monitor and censor them.”

how to help

There are a number of ways to help the people of Iran and show your solidarity. You can search social media to find a protest near you, start a local demonstration and share and repost fact-based information to raise the voices of the people of Iran on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. You can also donate to human rights organizations such as the Center for Human Rights in Iran, Abdorrahman Boroumand Center and Amnesty International that fight for the rights and freedoms of all Iranians.

You can also contact your representatives to speak out against the Iranian government’s human rights atrocities.

Who to follow on social media to stay up to date

Wondering the best way to keep up to date and stay informed about what is happening in Iran and why the citizens are protesting? Take to social media to follow those who are breaking down the issues and share the efforts of Iranian citizens on the streets by boldly holding their government accountable. Here are some accounts to follow.

Read these books to learn more

The titles that follow are moving, powerful accounts of life in Iran before and after the 1979 revolution, chronicling women’s experiences in times of political upheaval.