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Violence erupts in Iran after woman dies in 'morality police' custody

By Rachel Pannett

20 Sep 2022 · 2 min read

Editor's Note

22-year-old Mahsa Amini's death in 'morality-police' custody has sparked off protests across the nation including on social media. Iranian authorities are reacting with more violence.

Security forces cracked down on protesters demonstrating across Iran over the death of a young woman in the custody of its so-called morality police, allegedly killing five.

The death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman from western Iran, during a visit to the capital this month has stirred outrage over the government's increasingly strict enforcement of ultraconservative dress codes for women. Amini was detained as she exited a metro station, and she suffered a heart attack and slipped into a coma while in custody, state-affiliated media said. Her family insisted that she had no previous health problems, and activists asserted that she may have been beaten by police.

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