Iranian Activism: From Detentions to Inspiration

The father of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish woman who died in Iranian police custody last year, was briefly detained on the first anniversary of her death, according to human rights groups. Amjad Amini was warned against marking the anniversary before being released. The death of Mahsa Amini sparked widespread protests against the Iranian government, with many calling for an end to clerical rule. Security forces were deployed in anticipation of unrest, and strikes were reported in multiple cities in Iran's Kurdistan region. In the protests that followed Amini's death, hundreds were killed, injured, and arrested. Iranian authorities have been accused of arbitrary arrests, restrictions on peaceful gatherings at grave sites, and destroying victims' gravestones.