MAHSA AMINI CASE AND IRAN PROTESTS

MAHSA AMINI CASE AND IRAN PROTESTS:

Iran is experiencing large demonstrations. Women are demonstrating against the required hijab on the streets. To set the hijab on fire, bonfires are lit. Many individuals were killed during an attack on protesters, which shocked the administration. The internet has been shut off in certain regions. There are massive arrests taking place. All this started with only one incident of Mahsa Amini's Murder. In Iranian cities, the hijab has recently gained international attention. After the young Iranian woman died, violent demonstrations spread throughout that nation. People are out on the streets, protesting for freedom and women's right.

LIGHT TO THE INCIDENT:

Several days ago, on September 13th, Mahsa Amini also called Zhina, and her family made the journey from the Kurdistan area to Tehran, the capital of Iran, to meet their relatives. They were halted by the police on their way in the evening. But this wasn't a typical police force rather it is a specialized police squad to determine whether or not women are appropriately dressed so-called, “The Morality police”. Iran has strict rules regarding women's hijab.

You can check Iranian laws on the website given below:

https://iranprimer.usip.org/blog/2020/dec/08/part-3-iranian-laws-women

The women are restricted to cover their heads in public or wearing the hijab that must be knotted firmly to completely conceal the hair. Those who disobey the law are being taken captive by the morality police. The brutal attitude of the morality police can be seen clearly on many social media platforms. Coming back to the story, the morality police stopped Amini and her family. Amini wasn't wearing her hijab properly. Her family claims that the cops pulled her from the automobile and placed her inside the squad car. Amini’s brother “Kiarash” tried to stop the cops and speak to them in response to which the police told him that his sister will be transported to the station for an hour of re-education. According to the media website IranWire, Amini's family informed the human rights advocates of this. After that, she was transferred to the detention facility, where her brother joined in on the questioning. Amini's brother asserts that he heard screaming coming from within, according to accounts in the local media. He noticed an ambulance pulling up as he was standing outside the room. Amini was transported covertly to the “Kasra Hospital”. According to the police, Mahsa had a heart attack. Here Amini was a young, healthy lady of 22 years old, which is an intriguing fact to mention. Two days after her brother Kiarash received the news that she was unconscious, on September 15, Tehran police officially announced her condition claiming that she had a heart attack after Amini's arrest. According to her brother, the time between her arrest and being brought to the hospital was barely two hours. Amini was in a coma at the hospital, and the next day, on September 16, Mahsa Amini sadly departed away. 22 years old only. As on-site witnesses told the reporters, Amini was beaten up inside the police vehicle. Amjad Amini, Amini's father, asserted in an interview that he is certain his daughter was beaten. The Iranian government, however, denies these charges. Ahmad Vahidi, Iran's interior minister, asserts that Amini had previous medical issues. And they couldn't have beat her since morality police are not allowed to carry guns. But then certain medical records are leaked to the media source “Iran International” by a group of hacker activists, i.e., hackers who are involved in activism. It displays her skull's CT scan. fractured bone, bleeding, and cerebral edema.

On September 17, a medical source told an Iranian media outlet that it was evident from Amini's brain tissue that she had sustained numerous head injuries. When news of Amini's CT scans reaches the public and the media, it sparks intense discussion. Supporters of the government assert that Amini's CT scan demonstrates that she underwent brain surgery in the past. The CT scans, according to detractors, demonstrate that she was beaten. Then a brave doctor arrived DR. Hossein Karampour. He is a respected physician in Iran's Southern Province. He released pictures of Amini from her hospital admission. She is observed to be bleeding. He believes the symptoms unmistakably prove that it wasn't a heart attack. She was beaten.

A letter was sent to Mohammad Raeiszadeh by Dr. Hossein. the Iranian Medical Council's president. requesting that he should tell the truth. When the government observed this, it published the CCTV footage. Check out the video below:

According to the authorities, Mahsa Amini is the woman in the CCTV clip. You can watch her collapse from heart failure, too. However, according to Amini's father, this video is fake.  He asked the police to show the film from several more cameras, including the ones in the vehicle and the police courtyard. The demand went unanswered by the cops. The demonstrations began to grow in size.

POLITICAL LEADERS OFFER CONDOLENCES:

Many political leaders of Iran offer their sympathy to the victim’s family. Ebrahim Raisi, the president of Iran, then expressed his sympathies to Mahsa's family by having a phone conversation with them.

This occurred on September 18th. He told them that the matter would be thoroughly investigated and the truth would come to light.

UN RESPONSE TO IRANIAN SECURITY FORCE:

This problem had already become a global concern by this time. The United Nations released statements.

According to the current UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, an impartial, qualified authority should look into Mahsa Amini's killing.

She voiced her opposition to the hijab law and urges authorities to cease discriminating against women. America also released remarks.

REMARKS OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL:

An inquiry into the event is demanded by Amnesty International, a global human rights NGO.

GLIMPSE TO PROTESTS AND DEMONSTRATIONS:

The day Amini was hospitalized was the start of the demonstrations. However, when the news and videos spread on social media, the demonstrations also began to spread to neighboring places. Many more ladies came forward and said they had also experienced it that they were dragged, assaulted, and insulted by the moral police. There were several additional videos posted by women on social media showing how the morality police handled them. Videos of women standing in public and cutting their hair off while protesters applauded went viral. Many ladies burned their hijabs in public after removing them. “Death to the Dictator” chants were heard. Likewise, "Woman Life Freedom". The protests quickly became violent. Authorities used deadly force and tear gas. The police shooting resulted in several fatalities. There were almost 100 injuries and 41 dead including children. Over 500 persons were taken into custody. One of the protestants HADIS NAJAFI, a twenty years old girl shot dead as she denied wearing a hijab. An unknown hacking gang attacked two Iranian government websites in response. In a video that was made public, they claimed that Iran had a long history of brutality against women. The Iranian State's most recent victim is Mahsa Amini. Referring to the 'Morality Police' Celebrities also show their support. Ali Karimi, a well-known Iranian footballer, uploaded a picture in support of Mahsa Amini. Many others are raising their voice on this issue.

You can check the video given below:

ELON MUSK’S FACILITATION:

Iran will receive internet access from Elon Musk's Starlink after it was suspended due to anti-government rallies.

HISTORY OF IRAN:

Knowing Iran's history is crucial since, before 1979, the hijab was not always required. Mohammad Reza ruled Iran before 1979. He had a contemporary viewpoint and had studied abroad. He adopted several libertarian measures, such as outlawing polygamy and raising the legal age of marriage to 18. Economic growth and industrialization occurred while he was in power. But when an Islamic uprising was observed in Iran in 1979, this situation altered. Following this uprising, a new regulation requiring women to cover their heads in the workplace was approved in March 1979. Tens of thousands of women took to the streets to demonstrate, saying that the goal of the revolution was not to go backward. However, things became worse. Iran enacted legislation requiring the hijab in 1981. It is against the law for women to enter the public realm without donning a headscarf, according to Article 638 of the legislation. The earlier rules that prohibited polygamy and raised the marriage age to 18 were likewise repealed. Iran's President, Ebrahim Raisi, just enacted a bill on July 5th imposing additional limitations on the existing hijab regulation. In addition, the government claimed that some women weren't properly donning the hijab, therefore an enforcement campaign against incorrect donning had also started. The Morality Police were called in for this. According to the authorities, women cannot wear stockings or high heels. Additionally, ladies were required to cover their shoulders and necks. There have been several demonstrations by women against the hijab since 1979. Women's rights advocates in Iran launched the "One Million Signatures" campaign in 2006 to have all laws that discriminate against women repealed. Following this, Iranian women launched a campaign in 2014 where they published images and videos of themselves openly disobeying the hijab restrictions. This was part of the "My Stealthy Freedom" internet protest movement. Several additional movements were influenced by this. White Wednesdays, Revolution Street's girls. Such big demonstrations do not occur for a single incident. The catalyst was this one specific occurrence. Women became fed up after witnessing this. Their tolerance level had been exceeded. Because of the hijab restrictions, a lady passed away. They could no longer stand it. However, Iran has already seen demonstrations against the hijab. Iran observes National Hijab Day on July 12. On that day, protests were held all around the nation. Ladies displayed how they were removing their hijabs in public on social media during this time. Due to these demonstrations, several well-known people have spent time in jail throughout the years. A large number of people were taken into custody like the physician and activist Farhad Meysami.

He was sentenced to six years in prison and has been detained since August 2018 for his support of women who opposed the hijab ban. According to an Iranian official, some 300 Anti-Hijab Ringleaders had been detained at the beginning of this month.

HIJAB DISPUTE OF INDIA:

Another hijab dispute also took place in India as well. Muslim students' hijabs are not permitted in educational settings in Karnataka. After the Karnataka High Court upheld the prohibition, the matter was brought before the Supreme Court. After a protracted hearing, the Supreme Court has finally reserved its decision.

THE REASON BEHIND IRAN AND INDIA’S HIJAB DISPUTE:

These situations can appear to be at odds with one another at first look. On one hand, Indian women are demanding the right to wear a hijab and on the other hand, Iranian women do not want to wear a hijab. However, pondering deep into the matters you would find that what women want is freedom and liberty which is the right of every individual. If they want to wear a hijab, they should be free to do so and if they do not want to wear a hijab, they should be free to do so. And it is fascinating to see that women suffer the most from these regulations. For instance, if we are talking about males in India, the laws governing what a guy may and may not wear are simply covered by the anti-obscenity provision. Bollywood star Ranveer Singh was charged for violating sections 292, 293, and 294 of the IPC after posing naked for a magazine. He can wear whatever he likes, but he must wear something, according to the complaint made against him. However, some other prohibitions and limitations do not apply to males when it comes to girls and women. Have you ever heard of a village where men are told to wear a kurta-pajama or dhoti kurta solely in public places? And without this dress code, they cannot move to public places. No, never, because the whole responsibility for upholding tradition and culture falls on girls and women.

ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE OF IMPOSING HIJAB:

Islam is a religion of peace. Islam prohibits its believers to spread Islam on swords. Allah SWT said in Holy Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah, Chapter number 2, verse number 256:

لاَ إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ

“There is no compulsion in religion”

دین میں کوئی زبردستی نہیں

Well talking about the imposition of the Hijab so according to the Holy Quran, only two Islamic orders can be implemented at a legal level. First Salah(prayer) and second Zakat(charity). No other matters related to Islamic sharia can be imposed by the government. All other matters are preached by Islamic scholars and Sufis. The government and the law cannot bind believers to follow Islam. Government and laws are responsible to stop crime and take action against it. For example, if the distribution of inheritance is not done in the Islamic way and someone’s right is being lost, then it will be a case of right loss that will be presented in court. The implementation of such laws is the responsibility of the Government but if a woman is not wearing Hijab so she is not harming others. She is disobeying her creator Allah SWT. It is her choice to obey Him or not as she is being given this right by Allah. Similarly, if a man does not put a beard on his face he cannot be punished for this thing. Allah SWT has given the entire humanity a path to walk upon. Following that path is one’s own choice. No one can force anyone to walk through that path. Only teaching and awareness can be given. The purpose of the Hijab in Islam is to protect women from being disgraced. But it doesn’t mean that women are allowed to be beaten and even killed because of their Hijab.

FREEDOM OF CHOICE:

The essence of all this debate can be concluded as:

“Women must be given freedom of choice.”