The 1401 uprising began after the death of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini in the custody of the morality police. With the slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom," it became the largest protest movement in Iran up to that point, spreading to over 100 cities across all 31 provinces.
Historical Context
Mahsa (Zhina) Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman from Saqqez, was arrested by the morality police on September 13, 2022. She suffered a traumatic brain injury from beatings and was pronounced brain dead at Kasra Hospital in Tehran on September 16, passing away on September 25. The first protests began that evening outside the hospital and intensified the next day at her funeral in Saqqez. Women removed their headscarves and cut their hair in protest, and "Woman, Life, Freedom" became the uprising's symbol. The protests continued for over four months with 84% popular support according to government surveys.
Fun Facts
The slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom" was inspired by the Kurdish women's movement slogan "Jin, Jiyan, Azadi." This was the first major movement in Iranian history with women at its forefront. UNESCO recognized this movement as a significant human rights event of 2022.
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