Amidst Wave Of Women-Led Protests, Iran Vows ‘No Mercy’

Amidst Wave Of Women-Led Protests, Iran Vows ‘No Mercy’
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Fresh reports reaching the desk of Africa Daily News, New York has revealed that the Iran judiciary chief has openly vowed that no leniency would sill be held against the wave of all the unrest that has been rocking the country since the death of a young Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini who had also been in the custody of the morality police.

The warning had also been made by Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei who is also the head of the Judiciary which had come after nine nights of protests and street clashes and had also echoed earlier comments by ultra-conservative President Ebrahim Raisi.

Read Also: US Vows To Help Iranians Access Internet As Protesters Rally

At least 41 people have died so far, mostly protesters but including members of the Islamic republic’s security forces, according to an official toll, although human rights groups say the real figure is higher.

The judiciary chief “emphasised the need for decisive action without leniency” against the core instigators of the “riots”, the judiciary’s Mizan Online website said.

Hundreds of demonstrators, reformist activists and journalists had also been arrested amid the mostly night-time demonstrations which have spread to scores of cities since unrest had first broke out after Amini’s death on September 16.

Security forces had also reported to have fired some live rounds and birdshot, rights groups charge, while protesters have hurled rocks, torched police cars, set ablaze state buildings, and shouted: “death to the dictator”.

Iran’s largest protests in almost three years have been led by women and triggered not by classic political or economic grievances but by anger over the Islamic republic’s strictly enforced gender-based dress code.

In another report, the United States has announced that it has concluded plans to ease export restrictions to improve Iranians’ access to the internet, which the Tehran government has severely gone against amid a crackdown on protesters.

In the aftermath of a woman’s death in the custody of the country’s morality police, Iran cut off internet services to much of the population in what the United States said was a bid ‘to prevent the world from watching its violent crackdown on peaceful protesters.’

‘In the face of these steps, we are going to help make sure the Iranian people are not kept isolated and in the dark,’ US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

This is a concrete step to provide meaningful support to Iranians demanding that their basic rights be respected.’

Iran has been rocked by a week of bloody protests over the death last week of Mahsa Amini, who was arrested for “improperly” wearing the Islamic headscarf.

 

Africa Daily News, New York

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