Thousands of Iranians march to Masha Amini’s grave in protest against the government; violence breaks out

Dozens of Iranian protesters headed to Saghez to commemorate the 40 days after the death of Masha Amin, who died in the hands of the police and who has unleashed one of the strongest civil movements in the country’s history.

Iran has been immersed in protests for 6 weeks that bear the name of Masha Amini as a banner. The streets of Iranian cities have been filled with scenes that have shocked both the country and the world. Hijab burnings, cries of freedom, burnings and attacks on the police have been seen by women and men who demand justice for the young woman and the end of Islamic repression.

The protesters have called for the death of Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, and the end of the Islamic Republic. The protests have become one of the boldest challenges to clerical leadership since the 1979 revolution. “Death to the dictator!” protesters around Masha’s grave shouted, as women stripped off their hijabs and demanded freedom.

In Saghez, as in the rest of the country, on the 40th day after the death of Mahsa Amini, triggered protests that were filled with violence. According to local media, the security forces attacked the protesters with tear gas, beat them with batons and in some places, such as Tehran, Shiraz, Qazvin and Saghez, opened fire on them.

“We will fight and we will recover Iran”, shouted men and women in the universities, streets and main cities of Iran. In the capital, Tehran, women threw their hijabs to street bonfires, shouting “Freedom! Freedom!”They showed the videos. In many places, protesters condemned the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and chanted his death and impeachment.

The civil movement that arose after Masha’s death is considered by the authorities as a threat to national security. In the last 6 weeks of protests, more than 234 people have died, including 29 minors. The NGO Iran Human Rights (IRH), based in Norway, updated its count last Thursday to account for 234 fatalities, spread over 18 provinces.

Those detained in the framework of these protests also number in the hundreds and, although there are no clear balances, the authorities did report a few days ago that more than 1,800 people arrested. Human rights organizations estimate that the real figure is higher.

(With information from Reuters and Iran Human Rights)