Iran prepares for Amini's death anniversary with apparent calm and hidden anticipation

Iranian authorities are preparing this week for the first anniversary of the death of the young woman, Mahsa Amini, through stringent measures aimed at preventing any actions that could disrupt "stability" and bring back the scenes of protests that erupted in the fall of 2022.

On the surface, daily life in Tehran and major cities appears to be normal. No public events have been announced to commemorate the anniversary, which falls on Saturday, a holiday in the Islamic Republic for a religious occasion.

However, some residents have reported increased police presence in the streets and major intersections, along with a noticeable decline in internet speed over the past few days.

President Ebrahim Raisi adopted a dual tone during a Tuesday interview with the American network NBC. He expressed his readiness to "listen" but warned those who intend to exploit the name of Ms. Amini to provoke "instability in the country" that they would pay a "heavy price."

Deputy Chief of the Judiciary, Sadeq Larijani, stated that security and intelligence agencies are "closely monitoring" potential movements related to the anniversary.

Non-governmental human rights organizations abroad have accused Iranian authorities of intensifying the campaign of detaining individuals, activists, and relatives of those who died on the sidelines of the protests, especially in regions that were focal points of the demonstrations, particularly Kurdistan province in the west.

On September 16, 2022, the 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman died three days after being arrested by Tehran's morality police for not adhering to strict dress code rules.

Her death triggered widespread protests unseen in the country for years, with demonstrators chanting, "Zan, Zendegi, Azadi" (Woman, Life, Freedom).

Internal protests, which encompassed provinces in the north, center, and south, were accompanied by broad international support.

Hundreds were killed on the sidelines of the protests, including dozens of security forces members, while thousands were arrested, according to human rights organizations. The judiciary announced the execution of seven convicts in cases related to the protests.

In general, the authorities considered the movements "acts of sabotage" backed by external parties.


AFP