(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
Protests ignited by the death of a young woman in Police custody
continued across Iran on Sunday despite a fierce crackdown by the
authorities, as a human rights group said at least 185 people,
including children, had been killed in the unrest, reports citing
.
Demonstrations that began on September 17 at the funeral of
22-year-old Mahsa Amini in her Kurdish town of Saqez, have turned
into the biggest challenges to Iran's clerical leaders in years,
with protesters calling for the downfall of Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“At least 185 people, including at least 19 children, have been
killed in the nationwide protests across Iran. The highest number
of killings occurred in Sistan and Baluchistan province with half
the recorded number,” said the Norway-based Iran Human Rights in a
statement on Saturday.
Denying use of live bullets, authorities have described the
protests as a plot by Iran's foes including the United States,
accusing armed dissidents - among others - of violence in which at
least 20 members of the security forces have been reported
killed.
Videos shared on social media showed protests continued in
dozens of cities across Iran early Sunday with hundreds of high
school girls and university students joining in despite the use of
tear gas, clubs, and in many cases live ammunition by the security
forces, according to rights groups.
A video posted on Twitter by the widely followed activist 1500
tasvir showed a man shouting“don't hit my wife, she is pregnant,”
while trying to protect her from a dozen riot police beating the
couple in the city of Rafsanjan. Other videos showed protesters
blocking some streets in southern Tehran.
Some posts on social media said shops were closed in several
cities after a call by activists for a mass strike.
Reuters could not verify the videos and posts. Details of
casualties have trickled out slowly, partly because of the
restrictions on the internet imposed by the authorities.
Amini was arrested in Tehran on September 13 for wearing
“inappropriate attire.” She died three days later at a Tehran
hospital.
A state coroner's report on Saturday said Amini had died due to
pre-existing medical conditions. Her father has held the police
responsible for her death with the family lawyer saying
“respectable doctors” believe she was beaten while in custody.
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