According to media reports, 41 people have been killed in the ongoing protests critical of the regime in Iran. The Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported this on Sunday, but there was no official confirmation. The protests, which were triggered by the death of a young woman, continued into the night. Videos were shared on social media showing protests in the capital Tehran and other parts of the country. The recordings could not be verified.
According to eyewitnesses in Tehran, the willingness to use violence is increasing, both on the part of the security forces and among the demonstrators. Security forces were becoming more and more aggressive and more shots could be heard, it said. Among the demonstrators, younger people in particular acted aggressively. They destroyed public facilities, set fire to cars and rubbish bins, and beat up police officers. Slogans against the Islamic leadership would also become more radical: in addition to “Death to the dictator”, the demonstrators also chanted “This is the year of bloodshed!” and: “We’d rather die than continue to endure humiliation!”.
The protests were triggered by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. She had been arrested by the vice squad for violating the strict Islamic dress code. What exactly happened to Amini after her arrest is unclear. It is known that she initially fell into a coma and died in a hospital on September 16. Critics accuse the morality police of using violence. The police deny the allegations.
Counter-demonstrations to dissident protests
According to media reports, counter-demonstrations to the system-critical protests of the past few days took place in the Iranian capital Tehran and several other cities. Thousands of people took part in the gatherings on Sunday to condemn the ongoing protests by critics of the regime, state media reported. In addition to the usual slogans “Death America!” and “Death Israel!” people also chanted: “We follow the system and the Islamic leaders!”. They also made threats against opponents of the regime.
The participants also reportedly protested against the alleged handling of the Koran by some protesters. The Iranian leadership accuses them of having burned several copies of the Koran. This is classified as blasphemy in Iran and therefore a serious crime punishable by death.
Critics repeatedly accuse the government of staging counter-demonstrations during protests to emphasize the solidarity of the majority of people with the system. Meanwhile, concerns have been raised about unconfirmed reports that the Iranian government may also be using Hezbollah militias from Lebanon to quell the protests.
The European Union condemned the violent crackdown on the demonstrations. “For the European Union and its member states, the widespread and disproportionate use of force against non-violent demonstrators is unjustifiable and unacceptable,” said EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Sunday on behalf of the 27 member states.
At the same time, the EU threatened vaguely with possible sanctions against Iran. Before the next meeting of foreign ministers, the EU will “examine all options available to it to respond to the assassination of Mahsa Amini and the manner in which the Iranian security forces have reacted to the subsequent demonstrations,” it said. People have the right to protest peacefully. It is expected that Iran will stop the violent crackdown on the protests immediately. Access to the Internet must also be guaranteed.
