Iran lawmakers chant “thank you, police” amid increasing public fury around woman’s death By Reuters

DUBAI (Reuters) – Iranian lawmakers chanted “thank you, thank you, police” all through a parliament session on Sunday, amid months of anti-govt protests across Iran subsequent the death of a younger lady in police custody, Iranian point out media documented.

The protests, sparked by the death of 22-calendar year-aged Mahsa Amini from Iranian Kurdistan, have spiralled into the biggest exhibit of opposition to Iran’s authorities in years, with a lot of contacting for the conclusion of extra than four many years of Islamic clerical rule.

Pledging allegiance to the Islamic Republic’s top rated authority Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the lawmakers chanted: “The blood in our veins is a reward to our chief”, a video clip shared on Iranian state media showed.

Khamenei has not commented on the protests, which commenced at Amini’s funeral on Sept. 17 and speedily spread to Iran’s 31 provinces, with all levels of society, which include ethnic and spiritual minorities, taking section.

Irrespective of the increasing loss of life toll and a intense crackdown by safety forces applying tear gasoline, clubs, and in some cases, are living ammunition, Iranians continue on to protest.

Films on social media showed demonstrations in various towns these kinds of as Kermanshah, Shiraz and Mashhad on Sunday, with contributors chanting “independence, independence, demise to Khamenei”.

Activist Twitter (NYSE:) account 1500tasvir, which has much more than 160,000 followers, posted a video clip of protesters in the central town of Isfahan contacting for a nationwide strike and placing up a highway block to bring truck drivers to their ranks.

Reuters could not verify the videos.

Amini was arrested in Tehran for “unsuitable attire” by the morality police who implement the Islamic Republic’s demanding dress code and died in hospital following falling into a coma.

Iran’s law enforcement authorities say Amini died of a coronary heart assault and deny promises by her household that she was overwhelmed to demise in custody.

The country’s hardline President Ebrahim Raisi, who ordered an investigation into Amini’s loss of life, stated last 7 days that forensics would current a report in “coming times”.

Amnesty Intercontinental reported in a statement on Friday that the authorities crackdown on demonstrations has so far led to the loss of life of at least 52 people, with hundreds hurt and 1000’s arrested. Iranian authorities say lots of members of the stability forces have been killed by “rioters and thugs backed by foreign foes”.

Amini’s demise and the crackdown have drawn global criticism of Iran’s rulers, which accuse the United States and some European nations around the world of exploiting the unrest to attempt to destabilise the Islamic Republic.

Iran reported last 7 days it experienced arrested 9 people from Germany, Poland, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Sweden and other nations around the world for their role in the protests.