Iranians Commemorate Mahsa Amini on Second Anniversary of Her Murder

Latest Developments

The second anniversary of the killing of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was marked in Iran and around the world on September 16 amid a media blackout ordered by Iran’s rulers. The young Kurdish woman was murdered by Iran’s “morality police” for allegedly wearing her hijab, or headscarf, improperly, sparking both a nationwide uprising — known as the Women, Life, Freedom movement — and a brutal crackdown by the ruling Islamist regime. Strikes have been reported in at least 11 cities in Iran’s West Azerbaijan and Kurdistan provinces. Since September 2022, Iranian security services have killed at least 645 protesters and arrested some 25,000 more, according to an FDD protest tracker. In total, at least 7,253 protests have occurred, including 214 in August 2024 alone.

Expert Analysis

“On the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s tragic murder, the Biden administration’s Iran policy is a far cry from what it should be. In the face of a nationwide uprising, Washington has done little more than issue a few statements and levy sanctions. Now is the time to course correct and take the fight to the Islamic Republic by amplifying and bolstering its greatest fear: the Iranian people.” — Behnam Ben Taleblu, FDD Senior Fellow

“The Biden administration must face the facts: Peace with the Islamic Republic will never be possible so long as this regime remains in power. The Iranian people know this, and it’s why they have risked their lives over the past two years to protest against the clerical dictatorship. When will Washington join their calls for regime change?” — Tzvi Kahn, FDD Research Fellow and Senior Editor

The Crackdown Continues

The Islamic Republic’s crackdown has shown few signs of waning. “The Islamic Republic’s security agencies have ordered domestic media outlets to completely censor any coverage of the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death in custody,” the news site Iran Wire reported. The regime even seeks to censor social media, ordering users to refrain from changing their profile pictures to images of Amini or face arrest. The authorities also threatened the family of Amini, warning them not to visit her grave, leave their home, or allow relatives to visit their home on the anniversary.

Women in Jail Announce Hunger Strike

To commemorate the anniversary of Amini’s death, 34 women incarcerated in Iran, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi, launched a hunger strike on September 15. “On the second anniversary of the ‘Women, Life, Freedom’ movement, we reaffirm our commitment to achieving democracy, freedom, and equality and to defeating theocratic despotism,” Mohammadi said in a statement on X. “Today, we raise our voices louder and strengthen our resolve.” Incarcerated in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison since November 2021, Mohammadi received the Nobel Prize in absentia in 2023 for her activism to promote women’s rights and freedom in the Islamic Republic.

Global Rallies Mark Second Anniversary

Iranians have staged rallies to mark the anniversary in major cities in Europe, Australia, and Canada, including Berlin, Paris, Hamburg, London, Stockholm, Bern, the Hague, Sydney, and Ottawa, according to media reports. Many protesters called on the European Union and the United Kingdom to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which plays a considerable role in Iran’s domestic repression, as a terrorist organization. Additional rallies will also be held in the United States.

Related Analysis

“Mapping Protests in Iran,” by Mark Dubowitz

“Maximum Support for the People of Iran: Honoring Mahsa Amini One Year After Her Murder,” FDD Event

“Iran’s Uprising Nears First Anniversary as Protests Persist,” FDD Flash Brief