Protests in Iran over death of young woman continue, 83 killed

DUBAI, Sept 29 (Reuters) – Protests continued in several cities across Iran on Thursday against the death of a young woman in custody, the state and social media said, as a human rights group said at least 83 people were killed in almost two weeks of protests.

Mahsa Amini, 22, from the Iranian Kurdish city of Saqez, was arrested this month in Tehran for “improper clothing” by morality police who enforce the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code for women.

Her death sparked the first major opposition show on Iran’s streets since authorities cracked down on protests against a 2019 gasoline price hike.

“At least 83 people, including children, have been confirmed killed in (the) #IranProtests,” Iran Human Rights, a Norway-based group, said on Twitter.

Despite the mounting death toll and a heavy crackdown by the authorities, videos posted on Twitter showed protesters calling for the cleric’s downfall in Tehran, Qom, Rast, Sanadai, Masjed-i-Suleiman and other cities.

State television reported that police had arrested a large number of “rioters,” without giving details.

Rights groups said dozens of activists, students and artists have been arrested, and the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Twitter that it had learned that security forces had arrested at least 28 journalists as of September 29.

Meanwhile, Germany’s foreign minister said Thursday that she wanted the European Union to impose sanctions on Iran after Amini’s death. read more

In Norway, several people tried to enter the Iranian embassy in Oslo during an angry protest in which two people were slightly injured, Norwegian police said. Police arrested 95 people, public broadcaster NRK reported. read more

President Ebrahim Raisi said the unrest was the last move by hostile Western powers against Iran since its 1979 Islamic revolution.

“The enemies have miscalculated against Islamic Iran for 43 years, imagining that Iran is a weak country that can be dominated,” Raisi said on state television.

Report from the Dubai newsroom. edited by Jonathan Oatis

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