Blinken: Iranian government must end systematic harassment of women
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on the Islamic Republic to end the systematic harassment of women.
On Monday evening, Mr. Blinken, referring to the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the Ershad patrol, wrote on Twitter that she "should have been alive today, but instead, the United States and the Iranian people are mourning her."
He then stressed that "the Iranian government should stop the systematic harassment of women and allow peaceful protests."
The death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old girl who was detained by the Islamic Guidance Patrol in Tehran, has sparked public outrage in Iran and sparked widespread protests across the country.
Tehran and several other cities, including Rasht, Isfahan, Sanandaj, and Karaj, were the scene of protests on Monday that turned violent with the onslaught of security and counter-riot forces.
There are also reports that several protesters have been killed in Kurdistan province. The human rights organization Hengaw says four people were killed in Saqqez, Mahsa Amini’s hometown, and Divandarreh by “direct fire” from security forces. Radio Farda cannot independently verify this report.
On Monday evening, a spokesperson for the US State Department also criticized the repression of protesters against compulsory hijab in Iran and said that the Islamic Republic should listen to the protesters.
Ned Price wrote on Twitter: "Iranian women should not be arrested for their clothing, let alone brutally beaten."
He added: "The Iranian government should listen to those protesting the brutal death of Mahsa Amini in police custody, not shoot them."
Iranian authorities have denied reports that Mahsa Amini was beaten during her detention by the Ershad patrol, saying she had a heart condition. However, Amjad Amini, Mahsa Amini’s father, told the Imtada news website that he is certain that “she was beaten” based on the many calls made by the girls who were detained that day.
Several doctors, after seeing pictures of Ms. Amini in the hospital, have also emphasized that the cause of bleeding from the ear in this situation could be a head injury.
Source: Radio Farda
