In commemoration of the one-year anniversary of the death of Mahsa Zhina Amini, at the hands of the Iranian regime’s so-called “morality police,” the Federal Republic of Lostisland pays heartfelt tribute to her memory. Her name has become an enduring symbol of courage, resonating with the resilient spirit of the Iranian people in their ongoing decades-long struggle against inequality and repression. We remember Mahsa with profound respect and solidarity.
In support, our President, Yaroslav Mar signed the Freedom House petition “Support The Iranian Struggle for Freedom.”
“I’m signing because I believe in the universal principles of freedom, equality, and democracy. The Iranian people’s courageous struggle for Azadi (freedom) is an inspiration to us all. Their quest for a just society, free from oppression, deserves our unwavering support. Together, we can make a difference and stand up for what is right.”
Amini traveled to Tehran to visit her brother in September 2022. On the 13th of that month, she was apprehended by the “Guidance Patrol” of Iran at the entrance of the Shahid Haghani Expressway in Tehran, accompanied by her family. Subsequently, she was placed in the custody of “Moral Security.” Amini’s brother, who was present during her arrest, was informed that she would undergo a “briefing class” at the detention center and would be released shortly. Later, he received news that his sister had suffered a heart attack and a brain seizure while in police custody. Amini was rushed to Kasra Hospital two hours after her arrest.
According to Amini’s cousin, she experienced mistreatment and verbal abuse in the police vehicle, witnessed by her fellow detainees. Upon arrival at the police station, Amini’s health deteriorated rapidly, leading to her loss of vision and subsequent collapse. It took 30 minutes for an ambulance to arrive, and she was finally transported to Kasra Hospital an hour and a half later. For two days, Amini remained in a coma at Kasra Hospital in Tehran. On September 16, journalist Niloofar Hamedi (who was later arrested) exposed her critical condition, sharing a photograph on Twitter depicting Amini’s father and grandmother in anguish in the hospital corridor. Sadly, Amini passed away later that day in the intensive care unit.
Eyewitnesses reported that Amini had been subjected to police brutality shortly after her arrest, while inside the police vehicle. By September 17, Iranian authorities were denying allegations of physical abuse, instead asserting that she had suffered a “sudden heart failure.” The clinic that treated Amini released a statement on Instagram, suggesting that she had already been in a brain-dead state upon admission around September 13. This post had been deleted by September 19.
On September 17, the police chief of Tehran stated that Amini’s arrest had been prompted by improper headscarf attire and tight pants. By September 19, police authorities had released CCTV footage showing a woman, identified as Amini, conversing with an official. In the footage, the official forcefully grabs Amini’s clothing, and she responds by clutching her head and collapsing. Amini’s father dismissed this footage as a manipulated version of events.
Amini’s brother observed visible bruises on her head and legs. Female detainees who were with Amini reported that she had endured severe beatings for resisting the insults and curses of the arresting officers. Published hospital images depicted Mahsa Amini with bleeding from the ear and bruises under her eyes. In a letter dated September 18, Dr. Hossein Karampour, the top medical official in Hormozgan province, pointed out that these symptoms contradicted the official claims of a heart attack and were consistent with head injuries resulting in bleeding. Alleged medical scans of her skull, leaked by hacktivists, showed evidence of bone fractures, hemorrhaging, and brain edema, supporting Dr. Karampour’s assessment.
Iran International reported that the Iranian government had forged fake medical records for Amini, falsely indicating a history of heart disease. On September 20, Dr. Massoud Shirvani, a neurosurgeon, claimed on state-owned television that Amini had a brain tumor surgically removed at the age of eight. By September 21, the hospital had released preliminary CT scans. Supporters of the government argued that the scans indicated psychological stress resulting from a previous brain operation, while critics asserted that they revealed physical injuries from beatings. The Iranian government claimed that Amini had undergone a brain operation at the age of five.
In response to various government claims, Mahsa Amini’s father, Amjad Amini, informed the BBC around September 22 that “they are lying… She never had any medical conditions, she never had surgery.” Two classmates, interviewed by the BBC, expressed unawareness of Mahsa ever being hospitalized. Amjad stated that he had been denied access to his daughter’s autopsy report and alleged that the security officers’ body cameras were not functional. Iranian authorities accused Mahsa of wearing immodest clothing during her arrest, a claim Amjad refuted, asserting that she always wore a long overcoat. He further contended that medical staff repeatedly prevented him from viewing his daughter’s body after her death. Amjad noticed bruises on her feet but could not inspect the rest of her body due to the wrapping. Iranian authorities denied any head or internal injuries.
According to Iran International, on September 29, an audio file was released by a former commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps, citing unnamed “reliable sources” who claimed that Mahsa Amini’s death resulted from a head injury inflicted during a severe beating. The Amini family’s attorney, Saleh Nikbakht, informed the Etemad online news website that “respectable doctors” believed Mahsa had been physically assaulted while in custody. The family called for a fact-finding committee to investigate her death and the release of police footage filmed after her arrest.
By October 2, Amini’s family acknowledged that she had undergone surgery for a minor neurological condition, possibly a brain tumor, at the age of eight. They asserted that this condition had been effectively managed with levothyroxine, and her recent medical evaluations had been positive. The family contended that this condition was unrelated to Amini’s untimely death. A coroner’s report dated October 7 stated that Amini’s death was not a result of blows to her head and limbs, instead attributing it to pre-existing medical conditions that led to multiple organ failure due to cerebral hypoxia. The report did not mention any injuries.
In a letter dated October 13, over 800 members of Iran’s Medical Council accused the head of Iran’s Medical Council of collaborating in a government cover-up regarding the cause of Mahsa Amini’s death. In a December 8 article, Der Spiegel corroborated Amini’s grandfather’s statement that Amini had undergone surgery to remove a brain tumor during her elementary school years. The tumor was benign, and she had enjoyed good health since then. Der Spiegel also relayed a report from one of Amini’s cousins present during her arrest, indicating that she had been forcibly apprehended by the morality police.
Mahsa Amini’s tragic circumstances of arrest and subsequent events are deeply troubling, and we echo the calls for transparency, accountability, and justice surrounding her case. We stand united with those seeking answers and justice for Mahsa Amini, and countless others who have suffered unjustly. May her memory continue to fuel the pursuit of a more just and free world.
