Iran Blocks Social Media As Protests Spread Over 22-Year-Old Woman's Death In Custody

Iran has shut off the internet in parts of Tehran and Kurdistan, and blocked access to platforms such as Instagram and WhatsApp, in an attempt to curb a protest movement that has relied on social media to document dissent.

The protests, which were sparked by the death of a 22-year-old Kurdish woman in police custody, show no sign of subsiding yesterday as protesters torched police stations and vehicles in several cities.

Anti-regime demonstrations have also spilled into cyberspace, with videos of women burning hijabs going viral. Other women have been posting videos in which they cut their hair in protest under the hashtag #Mahsa_Amini.

Mahsa Amini was detained on 16 September for allegedly wearing a hijab in an "improper" way. Activists said the woman, whose Kurdish first name was Jhina, had suffered a fatal blow to the head, a claim denied by officials, who have announced an investigation. Police continue to maintain she died of natural causes, but her family suspect she was subjected to beating and torture.

In response to Amini's death, the US yesterday placed Iran's morality police on its sanctions blacklist, saying they were responsible.