Iranian police and paramilitary enforcers have killed 185 people since protests erupted against the in-custody death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini last month, according to a human rights group.
Iran Human Rights says at least 19 of those killed have been children. Unrest has spread across the country for weeks following the death of Amini, who suffered severe injuries while in the custody of Iran’s morality police. Protesters have set fire to the police station and even killed pro-government enforcers as they demand an end to the Islamist regime.
IHR states that police killings have taken place in 17 provinces across Iran, but the violence has been heaviest in Sistan and Baluchistan in the country’s southeast.
The Iranian regime denies responsibility for Amini’s death, claiming that she collapsed of her own accord while in police custody.
PROTESTORS CLASH WITH REVOLUTIONARY GUARD IN NORTHERN IRAN, TORCH IRGC BASE: REPORTS
Iran protests on video via The Foreign Desk
(Courtesy of The Foreign Desk)
A man gestures during a protest over the death of Mahsa Amini, a woman who died after being arrested by the Islamic republic’s “morality police”, in Tehran, Iran September 19, 2022. (West Asia News Agencyv ia REUTERS)
Morality police first arrested the woman for wearing her hijab incorrectly. The incident has led to tens of thousands of Iranian women casting off their own hijabs, with some even burning them in the street.
Iran’s government has responded with deadly military crackdowns and a widespread shutdown of internet access, making it difficult to verify casualty estimates.
Multiple unconfirmed videos have circulated on social media appearing to show students defying the regime. Other videos appear to show pro-government forces firing on demonstrators. While Iranians have protested against the regime before in recent years, observers say the current unrest is different.
“The Iranian people have continued their protests for over two weeks. This time around, it’s different. We have never seen such courage on the part of the Iranian protesters who are burning Basiji headquarters, police cars, even attacking and killing regime forces,” Iranian analyst Lisa Daftari told Fox News Digital last week.
A woman cuts her hair during a protest over the death of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in Iran, in the Kurdish-controlled city of Qamishli, northeastern Syria September 26, 2022.
(Reuters/Orhan Qereman )
“What the Iranian people are telling the world, though, is that while they’re willing to continue and to fight their own fight, they do not believe they can do it without the support of the West. The support they need isn’t just from the podium, although that is a good start. The Iranian people need the West, spearheaded by the United States, to pivot from appeasing the regime to supporting the people,” she continued.
Crowds across the country have chanted “Death to Khamenei!” and “Death to the dictator!” referring to Iran’s supreme leader.
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Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has condemned the protests as “riots” and blamed the U.S. and Israel for inciting the unrest.
Fox News’ Ashley Papa contributed to this report.
