Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old from Iran’s Kurdistan province, fell into a coma and died following her arrest in Tehran last week by the morality police for “unsuitable attire,” sparking nationwide anger and demonstrations in numerous areas, including the capital.
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In the Kurdish region, the rights organisation Hengaw said there were protests in 13 cities on Monday and that 250 people had been arrested. Hengaw gave the names of three people who it said had been killed during protests in three different cities, including Amini’s hometown of Saqez. There was not official confirmation of the deaths. The reports could not be immediately independently verified.

Videos posted on social media have shown demonstrations in numerous cities, with women waving their headscarves and protesters facing off with security forces.

The news comes weeks after Iran’s hardline president, Ebrahim Raisi, ordered a crackdown on women’s rights and called for stricter enforcement of the country’s mandatory dress code, which has required all women to wear the hijab head-covering since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Iranian media is now rife with debate about the accountability of the morality police.

The police deny beating Amini, and it was claimed by the interior ministry that she collapsed due to a heart condition. But her father has repeatedly said his daughter had no health problems, adding that she had suffered bruises to her legs. He held the police responsible for her death.

On Monday, the Tehran police commander described her death as an “unfortunate” incident, while rejecting what he said were “cowardly accusations” against the police.

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