Human Rights Watch (HRW) has warned of "ramped-up repression" to stifle peaceful dissent and expression ahead of the September 16 anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death in custody, which sparked a year of massive protests. The watchdog group cited "intimidation, arrests, prosecutions, and trials of activists, artists, dissidents, lawyers, academics, students, and family members of those who were killed during the 2022 protests." It said Iran's clerical leadership was also boosting enforcement tactics to ensure compliance with the strict dress code for women, which was at the center of the 22-year-old Amini's detention.
HRW Flags 'Chokehold On Dissent' In Iran Ahead Of Amini Death Anniversary
A portrait of Mahsa Amini is held by a protester during a rally calling for regime change in Iran.