“I prefer to die”: Iranian women mobilized in Istanbul, after the death of Mahsa Amini


Remy Trieau, edited by Laura Laplaud

Eight people died during demonstrations in Iranian Kurdistan sparked on Saturday by the death of Mahsa Amini, detained by the morality police for “wearing inappropriate clothes”. Since then, mobilizations have multiplied in Iran and abroad. In Turkey, Iranian women have come together to denounce the oppression of women.

On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden hailed the “brave women of Iran”, those who are mobilizing after the death last week of Mahsa Amini. Arrested by the morality police for having worn her veil incorrectly, this 22-year-old young woman died three days after her arrest. The mobilization has already killed eight people in Tehran and in fifteen cities in Iran.

“My body, my choice!”

Abroad too, Iranian women are mobilizing as in Istanbul where they gathered on Wednesday in front of the Iranian consulate. “My body, my choice!” The feminist slogan is taken up by dozens of Iranian women in front of the consulate of the Islamic Republic.

The words of demonstrators follow one another to denounce the oppression of women in Iran: “I could not stay in Iran. They did not let me do anything. Just because I am a woman. Why did they kill a girl from 22 years old? Only because of wearing the veil!” exclaims one of the demonstrators.

“They are killers”

Anissa, hair cut short, dyed pink recounts the terror that these men reign in her country: “We are afraid of the police. They always tell us that we must wear our veil correctly: we have no choice. They are brutal. They are killers.”

“I am not afraid”

This young Iranian on vacation in Istanbul wants to take part in the demonstrations as soon as she returns to Iran, despite the violent repression. “This time I’d rather die. I’m ready. Maybe if I shed my blood I’ll be the source of a change. I’m not afraid.”

“Ayatollah Khamenei is an assassin” chant the protesters who hope for the fall of the mullahs’ regime.



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