Mahsa Amini’s father detained by Iranian authorities on the anniversary of his daughter’s death

Iranian authorities detained Mahsa Amini’s father on Saturday, the one-year anniversary of his death, Iranian journalists and rights groups said.

Amini was killed in morality police custody on September 16, 2022, after being arrested for allegedly not wearing her headscarf properly. Her death triggered protests across Iran.

Iranian journalist and founder of the activist outlet “IranWire” Maziar Bahari told CN N that Amini’s father, Amjad, was regularly summoned by security agents in the months following his daughter’s death.

“Today he was detained for a few hours,” Bahari told CNN .

Amini’s family visited his grave in the western Kurdish city of Saqqez on Friday, the eve of the one-year anniversary of his death, IranWire reported on Saturday.

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Helicopters were seen hovering over the Aichi cemetery with numerous military and police personnel also stationed throughout the area, IranWire added.

The next day, Amjad was detained by authorities for three to four hours with his son, who was warned that he would be banished to a remote village if he encouraged people to attend ceremonies marking the anniversary of Amini’s death, Bahari told CNN .

Iranian authorities strongly denied reports of Amjad’s detention on Saturday, with state media outlet IRNA describing the reports as “false” in a Telegram post.

This comes after Amini’s uncle, Safa Aeli, who resides in Saqqez, was also arrested by authorities on Tuesday, according to a family member and reports from the Human Rights Activists News Agency.

People took part in protests across Iran on Saturday in honor of the anniversary of Amini’s death, as authorities deployed armed guards in many cities as a show of force, prompting a heavy security presence.

The video obtained by CNN showed demonstrations in several Iranian cities, including its capital, Tehran, as well as in Mashad, Ahvaz, Lahijan, Arak and the Kurdish city of Senandaj.

Many protesters were seen chanting “Women, Life, Freedom” – a popular rallying cry used after nationwide protests began following Amini’s death last year – while some demonstrators also chanted death slogans against Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei .

At least 13 Kurdish towns in Amini’s home province have gone on strike, Kurdish rights group Hengaw said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Amini’s death last September triggered the biggest protests Iran has seen in years, turning into a broader social movement with demonstrators protesting the regime’s treatment of women, among other issues.

The ensuing crackdown by Iran’s security forces resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people and the arrest of thousands of people.

The United Nations (UN) said that in November last year more than 300 people were killed in protests, including more than 40 children.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency in January put the number at more than 500, including 70 children.

Thousands of people were detained during months of nationwide protests, the UN said in a report published in June, citing an investigation released last year by its Human Rights Committee.

Iran executed seven protesters for their involvement in the unrest, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.