At Least 10 Kurds Arrested in Iran After Zhina Amini Anniversary Strike

At least 10 Kurdish people have reportedly been arrested in western Iran following a general strike marking the fourth anniversary of Zhina Amini’s death.

Article

At Least 10 Kurds Arrested in Iran Following Zhina Amini Anniversary Strike

At least 10 Kurdish people have reportedly been arrested in western Iran following a general strike held to mark the fourth anniversary of Zhina Amini’s death.

The arrests were reported in Oshnavieh, Mahabad and Sanandaj, according to the Oslo-based Hengaw Organization for Human Rights. The New Region also reported the arrests, citing Hengaw.

The strike took place on Wednesday, 16 September, with businesses closing in several Kurdish-majority cities across western Iran. Hengaw reported that participation was recorded in at least 11 cities, including Saqqez, Amini’s hometown, as well as Sanandaj, Mahabad, Bukan, Oshnavieh, Divandarreh and Marivan.

According to Hengaw, participation varied between cities. In Saqqez, most businesses reportedly closed, while bakeries and pharmacies remained open. The organisation estimated participation among businesses at between 50 and 70 percent in several other cities.

Hengaw also reported that Iranian security agencies had spent several days summoning activists and business owners and warning them against participating in the strike. Security forces were reportedly deployed heavily in several Kurdish cities ahead of the anniversary.

The anniversary marks four years since Zhina Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman from Saqqez, died in Tehran in September 2022 after being detained by Iran’s morality police. Her death triggered nationwide protests that became known internationally through the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom.”

The reports of arrests and the general strike come amid continuing tensions between Iranian authorities and Kurdish communities in the country.

Kurdish human rights organisations have described the arrests and security measures as restrictions on peaceful protest and civil activity. These characterisations are claims made by the organisations reporting the events and have not been independently verified in every individual case.