Iranian security forces detained Mahsa Amini’s father on Saturday, and warned him against marking the anniversary of her death, before releasing him, a rights group said.
“Security forces detained Amjad Amini today and returned him to his house after threatening him against marking his daughter’s death anniversary,” the Kurdistan Human Rights Network said.
Mahsa Amini’s death last year while in custody of the morality police, following her arrest for “inappropriate hijab”, led to weeks-long anti-government protests across the country and a movement of women increasingly flouting the mandatory dress code in public.
Amini’s parents said in a statement earlier this week that they would hold a “traditional and religious anniversary ceremony” at their daughter’s grave despite government warnings, according to social media.
Security forces were heavily deployed on Saturday in Amini’s hometown of Saqqez, in Iran’s western province of Kurdistan, and other cities in anticipation of unrest.
Footage on social media appeared to show small protests in Gohardasht, a neighbourhood of the city of Karaj west of the capital Tehran, and in the city of Mashhad, in the north east.
State-affiliated media meanwhile said security forces arrested several “counter revolutionaries” and “terrorists” in different cities and thwarted plans to create disturbances around illegal demonstrations.
More than 500 people were killed by security forces during the protests that followed the 22-year-old woman’s death, with hundreds more arrested, tortured and executed.
Over the past few weeks, family members of at least 36 people who were imprisoned, killed or executed during the crackdown have either been interrogated, arrested, prosecuted or sentenced to time in prison, according to Human Rights Watch. (MEE)