Iran two years after Mahsa Amini: persecution and defiance

Persecution of bereaved relatives. Impunity for perpetrators. Rampant executions and infighting among the opposition.
A bleak picture confronts opponents of Iran’s clerical authorities two years after a protest movement erupted that they hoped would be a turning point in the four-and-a-half-decade history of the Islamic republic.
Activists and exiles still hope that the protests sparked by the September 16, 2022 death in custody of Mahsa Amini – an Iranian Kurd arrested for allegedly violating the dress code for women – left an indelible mark on Iran and that her tragic death aged 22 was not in vain.
The women-led protests that broke out after Amini’s death, challenging not only the rule of the obligatory headscarf that has been a key pillar of the regime but also the very existence of the clerical-based system, rattled Iran’s leadership over autumn and winter 2022-2023.
But they were crushed and defeated in a crackdown Amnesty International said saw security forces use assault rifles and shotguns against protesters.
Human rights groups say at least 551 people were killed. Thousands more were arrested, according to the United Nations.