Mahsa Amini and Iran
ON 16 September 2022, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in Iran. Three days earlier before her death, she was arrested by police for not wearing Hijab.
Her death sparked protests in the country. Thousands came out to register the protests for women’s rights. Mahsa Amini’s death could be a turning point for women in Iran.
Expressing sympathy to the family of the deceased the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran ordered investigation into the matter and put it on the agenda, as a priority and assured that he will order the responsible to clarify all the dimensions of the matter.
The family of the deceased, while expressing gratitude to the President Ebrahim Raisi for the phone call and issuance of an immediate order to investigate the incident, requested His Excellency to follow up the issue until all the aspects are illustrated.
No signs of injury on the head and face, bruises around the eyes and fracture of the cranial base were found in the physical examination and autopsy of the deceased.
An autopsy of the torso and abdomen shows no traces of bleeding, crushing or rupture in the internal organs of the body.
To determine the cause of the death, autopsy of the body and medical records are helpful. The Legal Medicine Organization’s final report on the cause of the death will be presented to the judicial authorities.
The constitution and ordinary laws both recognize the right to freedom of peaceful assembly; as long as those participating therein do not resort to unconventional measures, are protected by the law.
In case of utilization of cold or hot arms to create law and order disturbance and to bring fear and horror into the hearts of the people, will legally be held responsible.
It is worth mentioning that international human rights instruments such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights held the exercise of such rights subject to observance of order, health, public morality, national security as well as respect to the rights and freedoms of others.
Some peaceful gatherings that took place following the incident turned into riots. During the unrest, many public and private properties were set ablaze or looted; some law enforcement officials and ordinary people were killed or injured by firearms and cold arms used by the rioters.
The crocodile tears shed by the officials of the countries that claim to be supporters of human rights, under leadership of the US, while mocking all the international institutions and human concepts by openly violating human rights about directly supporting the biggest violators of human rights in the world.
The United States itself is responsible for directly killing thousands of innocent people in Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries in the region.
Over the past four decades, the instrumental use of human rights by Western propaganda apparatus to blackmail and political and propaganda pressures against the Islamic Republic of Iran has been evident.
The interventionist statements of the United States and its allies in Iran’s internal affairs under the pretext of human rights are rejected and declared unacceptable.
These statements are being made when the United States and its allies who are founder and supporters of maximum pressure and crippling sanctions against the people of Iran.
The termination of Iran’s membership in the Women’s Status Commission does not prevent Iran from participating in international events. Iran will actively try to protect its rights in the international organizations.
By imposing unilateral sanctions, America has violated the rights of Iranian women and children and with this recent action, US has deprived them of their inalienable rights. Iran will try resolutely to become a member of the Commission on the Status of Women again next year.
Ignoring Iran’s efforts to protect women’s rights and the achievements of Iranian women occurred in a situation where violations of international rights and women’s rights in America, Europe and the usurping Israeli regime have become a daily routine.
This includes the killing of women and girls in Palestine and in other parts of the world, whereas America claims to defend women’s rights in Iran.
More than third of the world’s female prisoners are incarcerated in America. Since 2015, more than 250 women have been killed by the American police force brutally in the streets but no trial.
A 26-year-old expectant mother Leona Hale is just one case to mention as an example. On the death of Mahsa Amini, special investigation teams were formed to investigate and clarify all the aspects of the incident to find the truth.
Sometimes such incidents cause serious socio-political repercussions. Understanding the seriousness of the matter the Iranian government has assured a fair investigation.
—The writer is editor, book ambassador political analyst and author of several books based in Islamabad.
