Violence erupted in Iran’s capital and three were killed in the northwest province of Kurdistan, as security forces cracked down on the biggest public backlash against the country’s dress code for women since the 1979 revolution that ushered in the laws.
Riot police used water cannon and fired tear gas to disperse crowds in Tehran after hundreds of demonstrators skirmished with security forces on Monday. The outpouring of public anger was sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who fell into a coma and died after being detained by “morality police” last week because of how she was dressed.
Three were killed during protests in Kurdistan, state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported, citing the province’s governor who suggested that “terrorist groups” were responsible for the deaths. Authorities often refer to protesters as seditionists and terrorists. Clashes had broken out over the weekend in Amini’s hometown of Saghez in Kurdistan, where she was buried on Saturday.
