A report on the seventh day of protests; Despite the violent suppressions and internet shutdown, protests are ongoing in at least 35 cities
23-September-2022
Category: protesters
September 23, 2022
News group: Protests –
Breathing in Confinement: Despite the internet outage and the high security situation in various cities, on Thursday, September 22, nationwide protests continued for the seventh consecutive day following the killing of Mahsa Amini. At the same time, widespread arrests continued and a large number of protesters were shot dead by the security forces.
The killing of Mahsa Amini, sparked a wave of anger against the government leading to nationwide protests which started on Friday night, September 16, in front of Kasra Hospital, and rapidly spread to more than 50 cities.
According to the report received by the “Breathing in Confinement”, the news organ of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, on Thursday, September 22, 2022, the nationwide protests continued for the seventh day in a row.
On Thursday, September 22, despite the repression and heavy presence of security forces, people continued to protest in the streets in various cities, including Tehran, Mehrshahr, Fardis, Tabriz, Hashtgerd, Marand, Shahroud, Zarinshahr, Isfahan, and the cities in Kurdistan. In Tehran, protests and clashes with security forces continued at least in 7 districts.
According to the information received by “Breathing in Confinement”, BRT buses are stopped in Tabriz at 4 pm, so that the route of these buses will be used for the passage of security forces. Also, in Tabriz, all the shopkeepers have been told that they should close the shops from 5 pm, with no exceptions.
Reports from Fardis indicate that people protested despite the high security situation. A young protester in this city was severely beaten and arrested by Basiji forces, and so far there is no information about his fate.
In Hamadan, more than 67 protesting citizens who were injured by the security forces were detained at the hospital. The security forces reportedly prevented the operation of an injured protester who had been transferred to the theatre. They then arrested him and took him to an unknown location. The agents arrested 67 injured from only one hospital.
Despite the violent treatment of protesters, they are still chanting slogans against the rule of the Islamic Republic, death to the dictator and death to Khamenei are repeatedly chanted.
In the last few days, hundreds of citizens were arrested in various cities, whose fates are yet to be known.
“Breathing in Confinement” has previously published a report on the arrest of at least 20 students.
The increasing number of killed protesters in various cities has intensified the concerns. The internet shutdown and using violence is a method that the authorities of the Islamic Republic have frequently used to suppress the uprisings.
Following the spread of protests, the authorities of the Islamic Republic announced that Instagram has been filtered. Access to WhatsApp has also been restricted throughout Iran.
I addition, according to NetBlocks, Iran is under the most severe internet restrictions since November 2019. Limiting the access to the Internet in Iran is a prelude to the violent suppression of protesters.
The Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran calls the international community and human rights institutions to take immediate action to stop the violent treatment of protesters. The protesting people, especially the detainees are at risk of forced disappearance, torture and death.