PARIS, Sept 17 — Iranian authorities yesterday prevented the family of Mahsa Amini from holding a ceremony to commemorate the first anniversary of her death, confining her father under “house arrest”, as sporadic protests erupted nationwide despite heavy security, rights groups said.
Mahsa Amimi’s father Amjad was detained early Saturday as he left the family home in the western town of Saqez, and then released after being warned not to hold a memorial service at her graveside, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network , 1500tasvir monitor and Norway-based Iran Human Rights said. Amjad Amini had been summoned by intelligence officials last week after his announcement he planned to hold a memorial ceremony. One of Amini’s uncles, Safa Aeli, was detained in Saqez on September 5 and remains in custody.Rights groups said security forces had blocked access to the cemetery in Saqez where Amini is buried.
Iranian authorities say dozens of security personnel were also killed in what they describe as “riots” incited by foreign governments and hostile media.Campaigners say the authorities renewed their crackdown in the runup to the anniversary, putting pressure on relatives of those killed in the protests in a bid to stop them speaking out.
One of Iran’s most high-profile prisoners, Narges Mohammadi, a prize-winning rights activist, and three other women prisoners burned their headscarves in the courtyard of Tehran’s Evin prison to mark the anniversary, Mohammadi’s Instagram account said.