Key Takeaways:
- Mass protests in Iran have continued for two months
- The agitations began after the regime murdered 22-year old Mahsa Amini for not wearing her scarf "properly"
- An Iranian court has issued a death sentence to a protester following calls do do so from 227 lawmakers
YEREVAN (CoinChapter.com) — Protests in Iran, sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, will complete two months this week. The series of anti-establishment civil unrests have ignited fears among the officials that a widespread revolution might bring a regime change in the Islamic Republic.
Protests in the country are not new. Its capital Tehran has seen several demonstrations, with a majority of them demanding economic reforms. However, this time it is different.
The protest has spread like wildfire beyond the national capital. Citizens in every town and city have come out to voice their demand for a regime change.
Masha Amini protests: The Background
On September 16, 2022, news about the death of Masha Amini broke on local and international platforms. Islamic Republic of Iran’s “morality police” or Gasht-e Ershad, had arrested the young Iranian woman a month earlier. Her crime? She did not wear her headscarf correctly.
In the name of “Islamic Values”, the oppressive regime of the country forces women to cover their body parts, including their hair. Amini had dared to expose some parts of her hair.
After spending a month in lockup, she died in the hospital. Or, to call a spade a spade, she was murdered by the regime.
Furious at her death, the Iranian society took to the streets. In the 21st century, it is appalling that human life is worth so little. A young woman had to lose her life just because some religious extremists and men cannot control themselves when seeing a woman’s hair.
The problem does not lie with Amini or any woman who wants her right to live freely in their own country. The problem lies with those men who think they have some God-given right to dictate to women how to live their lives.
Religion cannot be used as a tool to oppress people. Bringing religion into politics and using it as a cover for one’s malicious deeds is condemnable.
Iran issues a death sentence to the protestor. Yes, this is the 21st century
The Iranian regime’s puppet court issued a death sentence to one citizen arrested during the protest. The court accused the agitator of “enmity against God” and “spreading corruption on Earth”.
Five other protestors received sentences of 5 to 10 years in prison. The judicial organ convicted them of “collusion to commit a crime against national security and disturbance of public peace and order,” according to local reports.
The decision comes days after 227 parliament members in Iran called on the Judiciary to issue death sentences for people arrested during the ongoing anti-government protests.
The brutal regime has also accused the CIA and other foreign agencies of fueling the protest. They are unable to accept the fact, that these citizens are out on the streets owing to their brutal, inhumane policies.
According to the Norway-based Iran Human Rights NGO (IHRNGO), the regime has killed at least 326 people since the protests erupted. These include around 43 children and 25 women.
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Protest in Iran expose an economy in turmoil
Iran’s economy has been contracting for many years. The United States has led international efforts to impose several rounds of hard-hitting embargos on the county since 1979.
Iran was the highest-sanctioned country in the world until this year when Russia overtook it following its invasion of Ukraine.
The annual inflation rate in Iran hit 52.2% in August 2022, down from 54% in July. Inflation of food & non-alcoholic beverage prices also dropped to 81.2% in August after it hit the highest rate since 2012 at 87%.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Iran’s internet restrictions have cost the IT industry and businesses around $24 billion.
Following Iran’s crackdown on the recent protests, the European Union (EU) has imposed fresh sanctions on the country. Under the new sanctions, 29 Iranian individuals connected to the Islamic Republic’s regime and three entities will see their assets frozen, along with a travel ban on them.
As CoinChapter earlier reported, Iran has also allegedly supplied Russia with Kamikaze drones. The Kremlin used these to target Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kyiv.
With the protests still ongoing, the brutal regime doesn’t want to end its atrocities against its citizens. Meanwhile, brave Iranian women are determined to clinch their freedom from religious leaders. They have publicly burned their headscarves (hejabs) and have sworn to never back down.
But with the death sentence now in use, Iranians need all the support they can get. If the Government does not come to terms with the new reality, the repercussions on its economy will be devastating.
