Shabtabnews In this dark night, I have lost my way – Arise from a corner, oh you the star of guidance.
RFL/RE – In defiance of warnings by the authorities, Iranians flocked to the grave of Mahsa Amini on October 26 to mark 40 days since her death as nationwide protests continued despite a bloody crackdown.
The 22-year-old Amini died in police custody in Tehran on September 16 after being arrested three days earlier for “improperly” wearing a mandatory Islamic head scarf, or hijab.
Her death, which officials blamed on a heart attack, sparked a wave of anti-government protests in cities across the country, which were met by authorities with a harsh crackdown that the Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights says has killed at least 215 people, including 27 children.
Young women and schoolgirls have been at the forefront of the protest wave, one of the largest Iran’s ruling theocracy has been confronted with since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
On October 26, dozens of men and women gathered at the Aichi cemetery in Saqez, Amini’s hometown in the western province of Kurdistan, despite threats from the security services directed at her family, which was told “they should worry for their son’s life,” according to activists.
In unison, the Saqqez people who are gathered in the Aichi cemetery chant: “Down with traitors”#MahsaAmini#ZhinaAmini#Kurdistanpic.twitter.com/Ux3jrt0pU3— Hengaw Organization for Human Rights (@Hengaw_English) October 26, 2022
Videos shared online purportedly showed the participants chanting, “Woman, life, freedom” and “Death to the dictator,” in apparent reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
people are chanting against current Supreme Leader of IRI Ali Khamenei.Aichi cemetery, SaqqezWednesday, October 26, 2022#MahsaAmini#Kurdistan#ZhinaAminipic.twitter.com/s0aSZfbqsZ— Hengaw Organization for Human Rights (@Hengaw_English) October 26, 2022
October 26 marks 40 days since Amini’s death and the end of the traditional mourning period in Iran.
Images shared by the Hengaw rights group showed the heavy presence of security forces in Saqez, who reportedly attempted to shut off entrances to the city.
People are still going to Aichi Cemetery. The majority of Saqqez city is empty as a result of participation at the 40th day after state murder ceremony of Zhina Amini.#ZhinaAmini#Kurdistan#MahsaAminipic.twitter.com/I5rMXQaYOl— Hengaw Organization for Human Rights (@Hengaw_English) October 26, 2022
But dozens of people were seen streaming into the city in cars and on motorcycles, as well as on foot along roads and across open fields, in footage posted online by Hengaw.
“The cities of Sanandaj, Saqez, Divandarreh, Marivan and Kamyaran are on widespread strike” in Kurdistan Province, Hengaw said on Twitter. The claim could not be independently verified.SEE ALSO:Iranian Footballer Says He’s Received Threats Over Protest Support
Hengaw said Iranian football stars Ali Daei and Hamed Lak had traveled to Saqez “to take part in the 40th day funeral,” but they “had been taken to the government guesthouse…under guard.”
Daei has previously run into trouble with authorities over his online support for the Amini protests.
The 1500tasvir social media activist channel, meanwhile, published a video showing that workers at a Tehran refinery staged a strike on October 26 to mark 40 days since Amini’s death.
On October 25, Iranian students protested at multiple universities, defying the bloody crackdown.
Online videos showed students protesting at Beheshti University and the Khaje Nasir Toosi University of Technology, both in Tehran, as well as Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz.
