Families of Iran uprising victims face pressure ahead of Amini anniversary

Opposition Iranian media reported that the Iranian authorities have intensified their threats and pressure on the families of victims of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” uprising, coinciding with the anniversary of the killing of Jina Amini in September 2022.

According to the reports, intelligence and security agencies summoned several family members in Tehran and other cities, imposing strict restrictions to prevent them from commemorating the anniversary. Similar reports over the past two years have pointed to threats and attempts to block memorials for victims of the popular protests.

In August 2023, the authorities forced some former detainees of the uprising to sign pledges not to leave their homes during the last week of September.

Despite this pressure, Amjad Amini, Jina’s father, published a message on his Instagram account on Monday, affirming that his daughter’s memory “will remain alive in the hearts of Kurds and Iranians,” stressing the ongoing demand for justice. He wrote: “Kurdistan and Iran will never forget the fading of her beauty and the smile of the withered rose, nor will we forget the butterflies of joy on the lips of the rose of our life, Jina, our hope.”

The post quickly became a focal point of debate on social media, with many interpreting it as a clear indication of plans to hold commemorations on the third anniversary of Jina Amini’s killing despite the heavy security clampdown.

Jina Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, was tortured by Iran’s “morality police” on September 13, 2022, and died on September 16 of the same year. Her funeral was attended by thousands in the city of Saqqez, where, under the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom,” the uprising ignited. That slogan and the uprising resonated worldwide, becoming a symbol of women’s resistance.

A-H 

ANHA