On September 16, Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman in Iran died in police custody after she was accused of breaking the mandatory headscarf law. After the Islamic Revolution, the mandatory headscarf law was introduced in 1981 in Iran, which aggravated many of the country’s women. The police stated their reason for detaining Mahsa Amini in Tehran was related to this law, but their explanation was vague.

While in police confinement, Iran’s security forces claim Mahsa Amini suffered from a heart attack and was rushed to the hospital where she died. However, her family claims she had no previous health issues like this in the past. Before her death, Mahsa Amini fell into a coma and a video was spread on social media revealing bruises around her eyes and bleeding from one ear, a sign of a concussion from head injuries.  

Since Mahsa Amini’s death, protests have been spreading throughout the entire country, including very religious cities. As a result of this, many women even began to take off their headscarves and burn them. Others have been shouting “Death to the Dictator” and setting fire to military vehicles. In an attempt to stop these protests, the Iranian government blocked and slowed the internet throughout the country limiting the amount of contact people in Iran have with others. Social media apps like Instagram are also not able to be used. 

The rallies are continuing and Iranian authorities have now resorted to violence, using tear gas as well as fire to stop the protests. This has led to the death of dozens of people and multiple journalists being detained. 

The death of Mahsa Amini ultimately led to more violence and death across Iran but also united the people in fighting for justice. These rebellions are expected to continue until a true change is made.