Prominent jailed Iranian rights activist Narges Mohammadi says the death of Mahsa Amini a year ago has become a day that symbolizes "the oppression of the theocratic authoritarian regime against Iranian women."
In a message from Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison, Mohammadi on September 15, a day before the first anniversary of Amini's death, called for unity, urging Iranians to stand together in "revolutionary protest" and become symbols of dissent.
She highlighted the Woman, Life, Freedom movement that erupted in the wake of the 22-year-old's death as a testament to the resilience of protesters and the waning authority of the "theocratic authoritarian regime."
SEE ALSO: 'Naked' And Defiant: Diary Of An Iranian ProtesterAmini died while in the custody of the morality police for an alleged head-scarf violation. Demonstrations against the Islamic regime over the incident quickly escalated, with the subsequent brutal government crackdown leading to the deaths of hundreds, including at least 64 teenagers and 34 women.
Mohammadi, who has been imprisoned multiple times over the past decade for her civil rights activities, emphasized the nation's mourning due to the "massacre and execution of young people on the streets and in prisons."
She said the violence against citizens has left the regime facing "disaster, disgust, and destabilizing fear."
She further argued that the Islamic republic's increased repression is a sign of its "depths of humiliation" rather than its strength. As the regime expands its oppressive measures, it is, according to Mohammadi, sinking deeper into a "quagmire of illegitimacy."
"The ultimate victory is certain," Mohammadi, who recently recent saw her prison sentence extended to a total of 10 years and nine months, along with an additional punishment of 154 lashes, said.
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Mohammadi has been vocal in protesting prison conditions, publishing numerous letters highlighting the state of prisons and violence against inmates, especially those detained during nationwide protests.
Last year, in a letter addressed to Javaid Rehman, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, Mohammadi described the "assault on women during arrest and in detention centers" as part of the Islamic republic's "suppression program" against activist women.