At least 9 killed in Iran as protests over woman's death grow


Mass protests are taking over the streets in at least a dozen cities across Iran, with demonstrators showing their outrage over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in police custody.
Amini was arrested in Tehran last Tuesday while visiting the city with her family. She was detained by the morality police, accused of violating the strict dress code for women. Amini died on Friday, and her father told reporters that authorities claimed she had a heart attack and went into a coma. He said doctors refused to let him see his daughter, who had no pre-existing conditions.
The protests began over the weekend and have grown every day since, with The Associated Press estimating that at least nine people have died in the demonstrations. Protesters are chanting "Death to the dictator!" and women, who must wear headscarves under Iranian law, are taking them off and burning the fabric in the streets. Videos circulating online show Iranian security forces firing water canons and tear gas at the crowds.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
This is the most serious unrest to hit Iran since the 2019 demonstrations against high gas prices, AP notes, and internet access was largely blocked on Wednesday and Thursday, with both Instagram and WhatsApp reporting outages.
The United States, United Nations, and European Union have all condemned Amini's death, with the U.S. also imposing sanctions against the morality police and Iranian security agency leaders who "routinely employ violence to suppress peaceful protesters." Iran's Revolutionary Guard, which asked judges on Thursday to prosecute "anyone who spreads fake news and rumors" about the unrest, said in a statement the protests are being fueled by "Iran's enemies."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
ICE agents take down Lady Justice | June 21 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include ICE, Donald Trump as a lion tamer, and ordering from the Bible
-
5 editorial cartoons about ICE raids
Cartoons Political cartoonists take on ICE raids, harvesting Big Macs for Donald Trump, and what to do when Stephen Miller shows up at the front door
-
Grilled radicchio with caper and anchovy sauce recipe
The Week Recommends Smoky twist on classic Italian flavours is perfect to grill, drizzle and devour
-
Will Iranians revolt?
Talking Point The chasm between Iran's rulers and their subjects is 'as great now as it was when Iranians toppled the Shah'
-
Can MAGA survive a US war on Iran?
Talking Points Trump's wavering sparks debate about 'America First'
-
'The Minnesota attacks join a grim catalog of political violence'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Can Iran's government survive war with Israel?
Talking Points 'Regime change' may be on the agenda
-
Trump ramps up Iran threats, demands 'surrender'
Speed Read Trump met with his top aides in the Situation Room on Tuesday
-
Iran's allies in the Middle East and around the world
The Explainer Tehran will look to Middle East proxies and other authoritarian 'Crink' states for backing in its war with Israel
-
Trump's LA deployment in limbo after court rulings
Speed Read Judge Breyer ruled that Trump's National Guard deployment to Los Angeles was an 'illegal' overreach. But a federal appellate court halted the ruling.
-
Marines, National Guard in LA can detain Americans
speed read The troops have been authorized to detain anyone who interferes with immigration raids