Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has stated that protestors in Iran will be dealt with “decisively,” following the civil unrest after the murder of 22-year-old Masha Amini.
Amini was a Kurdish Iranian woman who was detained by the Iranian morality police for wearing her hijab in an “improper” way. According to Amini’s family, when the morality police detained her, they punched her in the back of the head repeatedly after putting her in a car and driving her away.
Amini was taken later that day to a “re-education center.” Two hours later she was transferred to a hospital. Several days later, she died in a coma.
The news of Amini’s beatings and death sparked massive protests across the country with protestors burning police stations and vehicles in the main cities of Iran. Iranian authorities have executed harsh measures to mitigate the protests, including shutting down internet access in the high-populated areas of the country.
The U.S. Treasury Department responded to these events by sanctioning the Iranian morality police. They have also implemented certain efforts to provide internet access to the Iranian people.
“Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating Iran’s Morality Police for abuse and violence against Iranian women and the violation of the rights of peaceful Iranian protestors. The Morality Police are responsible for the recent death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was arrested and detained for allegedly wearing a hijab improperly.”
U.S. Department of the Treasury
The Iranian government has denied allegations that Amini was beaten and is attempting to crack down on protests. Approximately 35 people have been killed since the protests began, according to officials.
