Iranian Girls Detained For Doing A TikTok Dance In Public

In September 2022, a Kurdish woman named Mahsa Amini died in police custody in Iran after being detained by the morality police for improperly wearing a hijab. Her death caused widespread protests throughout the country. While authorities claimed that Amini died of a heart attack while in custody, her family alleged that she was beaten. The demonstrations in response to her death quickly turned into broader discontent with the regime.

Since then, Iranian security forces have been using harsh tactics to suppress protests, even arresting children. Amnesty International released a report stating that children who were arrested during and after protests were subjected to various forms of abuse, including electric shocks, submersion in water, sexual assault, and threats of rape. Many of these children were released only after signing “repentance” letters and promising not to participate in future protests. The Iranian government has not responded to the report.

In addition to the arrests and abuse of protestors, there has been a mysterious wave of suspected poisonings affecting more than 1,000 schoolgirls across Iran. The Iranian Interior Minister claimed that the hospitalizations were due to “stress and worries caused by the news,” but many Iranians have dismissed this explanation and criticized the regime for not taking action despite their extensive surveillance system.

The United Nations has condemned the Iranian government for failing to protect the poisoned girls and for their lack of swift investigation into the cases. UN experts have pointed out the stark contrast between the government’s quick response in arresting peaceful protestors and their months-long incapacity to apprehend those responsible for the attacks on young girls in Iran.