A Tribute to The Soul of Mahsa Amini
On 16 September 2022, a 22-year-old Iranian woman named Mahsa Amini, also known as Jina Amini or Zhina Amini died in Tehran, Iran, under suspicious circumstances, allegedly due to police brutality.
Amini was arrested by the Guidance Patrol, a vice squad of the Law Enforcement Command of Islamic Republic of Iran overseeing public implementation of hijab regulations, for non-compliance of her hijab with government standards. Police said she suddenly went into heart failure at a station, fell on the floor, and died after two days in a coma. Eyewitnesses and women who were detained with Amini said she was severely beaten, which in addition to her leaked medical scans, led others to diagnose cerebral hemorrhage and stroke.
Amini's death resulted in a series of large scale protests across the country and garnered international attention including a statement from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, putting a focus on violence against women under the Islamic Republic of Iran. Several leaders, international organizations, and celebrities commented on the incident, condemning Iran's Morality Police for its treatment of women and expressing solidarity with the protestors. The United States Department of the Treasury furthermore imposed sanctions on the Morality Police and Iranian leaders in various security organizations.
In response to the protests, the government of Iran not only suppressed the protests, shooting protestors with birdshot and metal pellets, deploying tear gas and water cannons, but also blocked access to many apps including Instagram and WhatsApp, and limited internet accessibility to reduce protesters' ability to organize. These may be the most severe internet restrictions in Iran since 2019, when the internet was shut down completely.
*This artwork is a tribute to the soul of Mahsa, Iranian protesters & every free woman alive!
Thanks!
