Iran’s clerical rulers are cracking down on dissent ahead of the anniversary of the death of a young woman in moral police custody, fearing a resurgence of the nationwide protests that have rocked the Islamic republic for months.
Journalists, lawyers, activists, human rights defenders and students were arrested, summonsed or subjected to other measures in a campaign that one activist described as “instilling fear and intimidation”.
In February, Iran’s judiciary announced a sweeping amnesty, which included releases, pardons or reduced sentences for those arrested, charged or detained in previous riots.
Iranian judiciary officials were not immediately available for comment on the current situation.
However, senior officials have defended the new crackdown as necessary to maintain stability. But some politicians said the growing crackdown could deepen a crisis between the clerical leadership and society at large at a time of popular discontent over economic woes.
Police announced on Sunday that the moral police force has stepped up its crackdown on women who violate the mandatory dress code. In a show of civil disobedience, veiled women have appeared frequently in public since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on September 16 last year.
Amini fell into a coma and died three days later after being arrested by the morality police for allegedly violating the Islamic dress code.
The incident unleashed years of pent-up anger over issues ranging from tightening social and political controls to economic woes, sparking the clerical establishment’s worst legitimacy crisis in decades.
A former senior Iranian official said officials should not ignore the reality this time around.
“People are still angry about Amini’s death and frustrated with her daily struggle to get food to their tables,” the source said, asking not to be identified.
“Bad decisions can have painful consequences for the establishment. The people cannot bear any more pressure. If it continues, we will see street protests again.”
Social media was awash with angry comments from Iranians criticizing the return of the moral police, who had all but disappeared from the streets since Amini died in their custody.
Source: Terra
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