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Faezeh Hashemi (recording from 2017)
Photo:
Vahid Salemi/AP
For the twelfth consecutive night, women have taken to the streets in Iran after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in police custody.
The security forces used violence against the demonstrators.
Faezeh Hashemi, daughter of the influential Iranian ex-president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, has now been taken into custody.
According to the Tasnim news agency, the reason for this is that Hashemi is said to have supported the women's protests in the capital Tehran.
According to Tasnim, Hashemi has been accused of trying to motivate women to take part in the protests.
This is classified as a criminal offense in the country.
Hashemi, 59, has been a critic of the Islamic system for years.
The former member of parliament and women's sports official is therefore also on a so-called black list and has already been arrested several times.
As a women's rights activist, Hashemi was always against compulsory headscarves, although she wears one herself.
She was also the editor of the daily newspaper »San« (Woman), which had to close in 1999 because of its feminist views.
More than 70 dead during protests
The trigger for the current protests is the death of Mahsa Amini.
She had been arrested by the Morality Police for violating the strict Islamic dress code and died on September 16 under unclear circumstances (read a comment here).
The demonstrators speak of police violence, which the authorities firmly reject.
more on the subject
Green leader Nouripour on oppression in Iran: "The pressure was constantly noticeable in our home" An interview by Marina Kormbaki
Protest in Iran: fear of hysteriaA guest post by Behzad Karim Khani
Eight billion - The foreign podcast: The anger of Iranian women A podcast by Olaf Heuser and Susanne Koelbl
At least 76 people have been killed in the protests so far, according to activists.
According to the Oslo-based non-governmental organization Iran Human Rights (IHR), six were women and four children.
According to the semi-official Fars news agency, authorities have said that “about 60 people have died” so far.
According to the official Irna news agency, the police reported ten dead officials.
It was unclear whether these were counted among the 60 dead.
According to official information from Monday, more than 1,200 people have been arrested so far.
Activists speak of far higher numbers.
as/dpa