UN probe finds Iran responsible for ‘physical violence’ that killed Mahsa Amini in 2022

By Jon Gambrell 8 March 2024, 10:56 am Edit

A woman holds a placard with a picture of Iranian woman Mahsa Amini during a protest against her death, in Berlin, Germany, on September 28, 2022. (AP/Markus Schreiber, File)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran is responsible for the “physical violence” that led to the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022 and sparked nationwide protests against the country’s mandatory headscarf, or hijab, laws and its ruling theocracy, a UN fact-finding mission says.

The stark pronouncement comes in a wide-ranging initial report submitted to the UN Human Rights Council by the Fact-Finding Mission on Iran.

It also finds that the Islamic Republic employed “unnecessary and disproportionate use of lethal force” to put down the demonstrations that erupted following Amini’s death and that Iranian security forces sexually assaulted detainees.

The months-long security crackdown killed more than 500 people and saw over 22,000 detained.

There is no immediate comment on the report from Iran.

Iranian officials have not responded to requests for comment from The Associated Press on the mission’s findings.