Exactly a year ago, 22-year-old Jina Mahsa Amini died in police custody in Iran. She was arrested because she did not wear the required veil in accordance with the regulations. Consequence: Violent protests across the country, which were violently suppressed by the Iranian regime. What’s left of the protest movement? ARD correspondent Katharina Willinger knows more about this. She was in Iran a few weeks ago.
SRF News: What is the mood in Iran shortly before the anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death?
Katharina Willinger: It’s incredibly tense – both among the authorities and on the part of the protest movement. For months, the Iranian authorities have been taking massive action against human rights activists and people who have protested. Relatives are also targeted. So people are trying to nip in the bud the protest movement that could possibly form around the anniversary.
Several people who demonstrated were punished with death. Are executions still happening?
By carrying out the death sentences associated with the protest movement, the regime has achieved its goal of stifling and suffocating the protest movement. People we spoke to in Tehran a few weeks ago confirmed this to us. The executions were a turning point in the protest movement; many people became afraid, they told us.
Many Iranian women continued a kind of silent protest by no longer wearing the headscarf. Is it still like that in Tehran?
In the big cities you still see women without headscarves – but slightly fewer than on my last visit at the beginning of the year. This is certainly due to the fact that the punishments are more severe again and “fallible” women are being persecuted more severely again.
Young women in T-shirts or a skirt – that was hardly conceivable before the protests after Amini’s death in Iran.
But you also see women who leave the house without a scarf and can quickly pull it up if necessary, or young women in T-shirts or a skirt. This was hardly conceivable before the protests following Amini’s death in Iran.
How does the Iranian regime behave towards foreign journalists like you?
There are two difficulties: On the one hand, it is difficult to find people who even want to talk to you. Many are frightened and fear severe consequences from the authorities. On the other hand, you have to protect people. You can’t just drive up to a woman or man who has taken part in demonstrations. Because you always have to expect that you will be observed or even shadowed by the secret service.
The journalistic work is therefore very difficult – but we still try to let people from Iran have their say.
During my last visit to Iran at the end of August, I was on my way to meet a photographer who had photographed the protests at the beginning and was arrested – the trial against her is currently underway. Shortly before we arrived at her place, we received a call from the Iranian secret service and they made it quite clear to us that we would not be able to do the interview. If we tried anyway, we would have to face problems. The journalistic work is therefore very difficult – but we still try to let people from Iran have their say.
The interview was conducted by Rachel Beroggi.