Since September 2022, Iran has witnessed unprecedented nationwide uprisings triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the morality police. These protests quickly spread to more than 280 cities and were met with severe repression by security forces.
During these protests, many young people and teenagers lost their lives. According to reports, by March 2023, the number of martyrs had exceeded 750. In the Museum of Iranian Resistance, a section is dedicated to the martyrs of the uprising.
Among the most prominent martyrs was Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman from Saqqez, whose death ignited these uprisings. Additionally, 16-year-old Nika Shakarami and 16-year-old Sarina Esmailzadeh were killed in Tehran and Karaj, becoming symbols of youth resistance.
These uprisings were particularly intense in major cities such as Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, Mashhad, Tabriz, and Sanandaj. In Tehran, neighborhoods like Naziabad, Yaftabad, and Golebandak witnessed large-scale gatherings. Widespread protests also took place in Sanandaj, Mahabad, and Bukan.
According to reports, by February 2023, more than 30,000 people had been arrested.
Prisons and Detainees:
Many protesters are being held in various prisons across the country, with reports of torture and mistreatment. Prisons such as Evin in Tehran, Adelabad in Shiraz, Vakilabad in Mashhad, Lakan in Rasht, Qarchak in Varamin, and Ghezel Hesar in Karaj are among the locations where detainees are being held. For instance, in Qarchak Prison, on the anniversary of the 2022 uprising, female prisoners staged a protest, which was met with violent suppression, leaving at least 20 people injured.
The international community has strongly condemned the suppression of protests in Iran. Amnesty International, in a statement, declared that the deadly crackdown on protests in Iran requires an urgent international response and called on world leaders to pressure Iranian authorities to stop the killing and injuring of more protesters.