Iran's Regime Intensifies Crackdown Ahead Of Protests Anniversary

The article titled ‘A Nudge to the Architects of the Chastity and Hijab Bill,’ indirectly called for assertive action to be taken against unveiled minor girls.

This viewpoint emerges in response to a statement made by the Speaker of the Parliament on August 13, who said that girls under 18 would not be subjected to summoning or police involvement under the Chastity and Hijab Bill, which penalizes women who fail to observe the compulsory dress code.

Also responding to the statement by the Speaker of the Parliament, pro-reform Sazandegi newspaper said the statement was a "blatant confession" and proves that the regime is driven by political and ideological motives rather than Islamic jurisprudence, otherwise girls under 18 cannot be exempted and are accountable for their hijab at puberty.

Meanwhile, lawmaker Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh revealed that Article 5 of the bill stipulates that minor students violating the law three times will face referral to the disciplinary committee or the security office of their educational institution. Nouri emphasized the need to scrutinize the bill's architects and their intentions within the educational context, highlighting a lack of comprehensive understanding among decision-makers.

Reports say that the teenager, identified as Hamza, sustained a brain injury in a motorbike accident in May. Initial cranioplasty surgery involved the removal of part of his skull to relieve pressure on his brain from swelling.

Doctors planned to reattach the piece of skull after recovery, but Hamza's father revealed to local media that during a recent hospital visit, medical staff informed him that the missing portion was "unavailable."

Authorities are investigating the matter and said that if negligence is established, appropriate legal action will be taken.

Dr. Hasan Zarei, Deputy of Treatment at Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, said that Hamza's cranioplasty, during which a titanium implant was inserted in place of the removed section, was conducted “successfully” last Thursday. Regarding the missing piece, he said, “experts are currently investigating the matter and emphasized that any deviation from scientific and legal protocols will be addressed in accordance with regulations.”

He added that this surgery is a common medical procedure globally and urged trust in the medical institution.

Meysam Salehi, head of Hazrat-e Abolfazl Hospital in Minab also confirmed that investigations are ongoing and confirmed that in the case of negligence, “appropriate legal measures will be taken”.

According to medical officials in Hormozgan Hamza's vital signs are stable, and he has been discharged from intensive care, remaining under hospital care in the surgical ward.

After being issued with a "Collaboration Termination" letter, Dr. Mehdi Khoiee, a professor at the university for the past seven years, posted about the termination on his Instagram account. "I am left pondering where to channel my grievances against this glaring injustice,” he wrote

The termination follows a growing trend of academic staff being subject to punitive measures for their perceived association with student dissent.

Students from the Faculty of Social Sciences at the university voiced their outrage at his expulsion in an official statement, which drew attention to the mounting wave of dismissals ranging from student suspensions to the abrupt expulsion of committed faculty members like Dr Khoiee.

Moreover, the statement issued by the student body drew attention to the case of another academic, Professor Armin Amir, who met a similar fate due to his empathetic stance towards protesting students.

This incident is part of a broader pattern affecting the academic community, whereby educators from institutions across the country have faced suspension or expulsion due to their solidarity with the students' expression of dissent.

Student unions nationwide view these actions as part of a wider initiative to cleanse universities and criticize the regime for trying to dismantle a bastion of free inquiry and discourse.

In a letter published on Thursday, Mohammadi revealed disturbing details of physical harassment, abuse, and assault inflicted on women inmates over the past three months, in the lead up to the anniversary of the nationwide protests.

Mohammadi's letter, posted on her Instagram account, sheds light on a distressing pattern of escalating violence, extending from the arrest process to the transfer to prison facilities. She described detainees arriving at the Evin Prison with "bruised and battered heads, faces, and bodies," and expressed concern over the harrowing consequences if this distressing trend persists.

Having previously issued multiple letters highlighting the dire conditions within prisons and detention centers, Mohammadi specifically raised the alarm about violence targeting detainees and called for an investigation into allegations of "sexual assault against detained women."

Mohammadi labelled the acts of brutal and lethal violence as "systematic" and "intentional", orchestrated by the government against female protestors, aimed at instilling fear and terror.

Underscoring her point, Mohammadi detailed an incident where she witnessed the transfer of an injured woman with "bruised shoulders and hands" repeatedly uttering the words, "My leg is broken." This girl claimed that there were no surveillance cameras in her cell during the time of the beatings.

In her concluding remarks, Mohammadi sent a stern warning to the Islamic Republic, saying that the escalation of violence would not deter the unwavering determination of the people to liberate themselves from the grip of the oppressive religious regime.

On Wednesday, security forces arrested and detained 11 citizens including five women's rights advocates, a photographer, a poet, a graphic designer, and three pharmacists.

Grounds for the arrests, which took place in the cities of Rasht, Fuman, Anzali, and Lahijan, remain unclear and no details have emerged of the prisoners’ wellbeing. Reports indicate that the majority were apprehended after security forces raided their homes.

This is the latest in a string of government clampdowns on activists, students, educators, and writers in the lead-up to the September 16th anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death at the hands of police whilst in custody, which sparked nationwide protests.

In recent weeks, a significant number of university students across Iran have reported receiving anonymous phone threats and summonses by security agencies. Similar reports have been made by families of victims who have died in uprisings, particularly on the anniversaries of deaths. These threats are assumed as efforts to deter commemorative gatherings.

Additionally, there have been reports of security pressures exerted on families of the victims of the uprising particularly occurring on the anniversaries of deaths. perceived as efforts to deter commemorative gatherings.