A growing wave of defiance in Iran and beyond as thousands flood the streets of Tehran for the ninth day ignited over the death of a 22-year-old woman.
Iran’s morality police arrested Mahsa Amini for allegedly not properly wearing the hijab headscarf. She suspiciously died in their custody shortly afterward.
As protests show no signs of letting up, the Islamic regime is cracking down, using a two-pronged approach of force and repression.
Iranian police are in the streets trying to stop the protests.
At least 41 people have been killed since the demonstrations began. And the regime has pulled the plug on the web and social media nationwide, a tactic they’ve seen success with before.
“The pattern has been when the Iranian people get fed up and they take to the streets to protest the regime’s policies,” said CBN News Contributor Ellie Cohanim. “Immediately after, we see the regime use live ammunition against protestors. But also the regime cuts internet access.”
The Iranian government shut off global internet access Wednesday for almost 80 million of its citizens. Still, the outrage over the death of Amini has only expanded.
Iranian officials claim the 22-year-old died due to underlying health issues, but her family says that’s not true.
Now thousands of brave Iranians continue to protest in her name. In some cases, even driving back Iranian security forces.
Women, in acts of defiance, burn their hijab or headscarves and cut their hair.
Across the globe, other protests erupt in solidarity.
“I’m cutting my hair because many of my sisters in Iran are going to die,” said Eli Fazlollah, an Iranian refugee.
President Biden weighed in on the protests last week during his address to the United Nations.
“We stand with the brave citizens and the brave women of Iran who right now are demonstrating to secure their basic rights,” Biden said.
The U.S. Treasury Department announced it would take action to expand internet services in Iran in an effort to support the free flow of information.
We took action today to advance Internet freedom and the free flow of information for the Iranian people, issuing a General License to provide them greater access to digital communications to counter the Iranian government’s censorship.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) September 23, 2022
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken tweeted that a general license has been issued to provide Iranian citizens greater access to digital communications.
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk responded to Blinken’s tweet with “Activating Starlink.”
“Internet is obviously very important when protestors are trying to organize and also when they’re trying to share the footage with the outside world of what’s going on,” Cohanim said. “So Elon Musk giving Starlink to Iran would be a true game-changer for the Iranian people and I hope he does it.”
According to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Starlink is in fact now active in Iran.
In order for the satellite internet service to actually benefit the Iranian people, terminals need to be distributed on the ground.
While that’s something the Iranian government certainly would not support, it’s considered a “surmountable challenge.”
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