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Mahsa Amini, also known by her Kurdish name Jina Amini, was a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman born on September 21, 1999, in Saqqez, Kurdistan Province. She had recently been admitted to university in Urmia to study biology. On September 13, 2022, while visiting Tehran with her family, she was arrested by Iran's Guidance Patrol (morality police) for allegedly not wearing her hijab in accordance with government standards.
Eyewitnesses reported that Amini was severely beaten after her arrest, both in the police van and at the detention center. Iranian authorities, however, claimed she suffered a sudden heart attack and brain seizure. She fell into a coma and was transferred to Kasra Hospital in Tehran, where she died on September 16, 2022.
Her family vehemently denied any prior health conditions, contradicting government claims of a pre-existing brain tumor or heart disease. Leaked medical scans and statements from medical professionals suggested head injuries, cerebral hemorrhage, and brain edema, consistent with physical trauma. Her father reported seeing bruises on her feet and was denied access to her autopsy report.
Amini's death ignited widespread protests across Iran and globally, known as the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement, demanding an end to compulsory hijab laws and discrimination against women. Her death became a symbol of resistance against the Iranian government's oppressive policies.