Trouble in Tehran

International Briefs

The recent disappearance and death of two girls in Tehran has unleashed an outpouring of anger and public protests (right). Such has not been witnessed in the Islamic Republic since its inception in April 1979, following the revolution against the Shah which introduced a theocratic Constitution. The first girl, 22year-old Mahsa Amini, vanished last month. She was missing for a week before her lifeless body was found in a street in the capital and was returned to her family who were not told how and where she died. The protests erupted after activists alleged she had died in the custody of Iran's moral police. The protests have been seen across dozens of cities across the country and are the most widespread challenge to Iran's leadership in years.

Anger has been further fuelled by another girl who went missing during the protests. The body of Nika Shakarami, 17, (above right) was returned to her family by security forces. Her family says her body had suspicious injuries, including a broken skull and a smashed nose, caused by repeated blows. She went missing on September 20 while attending an anti-hijab protest.