Death of Mahsa Amini: 31 Dead in Iran's Protests; WhatApp & Instagram Blocked
The responsibility for Amini's death is being pinned on the morality police, a paramilitary branch.
On 20 September, female students burned their headscarves, seeking justice for 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.
(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@FridaGhitis)
The number of people who have died in the protests that have rocked Iran after the death of Mahsa Amini has risen to 31, AFP reported on Thursday, 22 September.
Additionally, the Iranian government also blocked access to WhatsApp and Instagram.
Instagram and WhatsApp are two of the most widely used apps in Iran after the blocking of other social media platforms in recent years like Facebook, Twitter, Telegram, YouTube, and Tiktok.
The responsibility for Amini's death is being pinned on the morality police, a paramilitary branch attached to Iran's law enforcement. Colonel Ahmed Mirzaei, the head of the moral security police of Greater Tehran, was suspended from his role two days ago in response to the public anger.
Amini was taken to a police station for not donning the hijab properly, and her family was told that she would be released after a "re-education" session. She was transferred, however, in a coma, to a nearby hospital. A CT scan of her head showed a bone fracture, haemorrhage, and brain edema – all signs that she died due a strong blow to the head – according to The Guardian.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)