The student union has documented more than 40 arrests of college students and is collecting reports of detentions and raids on campuses across the country.
New Delhi,UPDATED: November 5, 2022 11:56 PM IST
The hijab protest that flared up after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini has entered its eighth week. (Image: Twitter)
By India Today Web Desk: As students spearheaded protests over Mahsa Amini’s death, Iranian security forces have launched attacks on university campuses across the country, arresting dozens of students, according to the Students’ Union of Iran.
The movement that flared up after the 22-year-old’s death has entered its eighth week. The student union has documented more than 40 arrests of college students and is collecting reports of arrests and raids on campuses across the country on its Telegram channel.
University students in Mashhad also said they had been attacked by security forces this week, with videos appearing online showing plainclothes officers dragging students into vehicles, according to a report by The Guardian.
Mahsa Amini died in custody on September 16 after her arrest in Tehran for allegedly violating Iran’s strict dress code for women based on Islamic Sharia law.
Security forces have struggled to contain the protests, which started with women taking to the streets and burning their hijab headscarves, and have evolved into a wider campaign to end the Islamic Republic founded in 1979.
Meanwhile, Iranian officials, who have blamed Amini’s death on pre-existing medical problems, say the unrest was fueled by foreign enemies, including the United States, and have accused armed separatists of committing violence.
(With input from agencies)