34 political prisoners begin hunger strike in Iran on protest anniversary

Shafaq News/ On Sunday, the foundation of Narges Mohammadi, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate who has been imprisoned since 2021 in Tehran, announced that on September 15, 2024, 34 political prisoners at Evin Prison went on a hunger strike to commemorate the second anniversary of the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement and the death of Mahsa Amini.

Amini, a Kurdish Iranian woman, died in police custody after being detained for allegedly violating strict dress codes, sparking nationwide protests.

Amini's death ignited one of the largest protest movements since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Although the protests subsided after several months, activists abroad assert that the demonstrations have had a lasting impact on Iranian society.

Women were central to the protests, defying one of the regime's core principles: the mandatory hijab. Many women publicly removed and burned their headscarves in unprecedented scenes across Tehran and other major cities. Analysts have described these protests as one of the greatest challenges faced by the Islamic Republic since its founding.

Iranian authorities labeled the protests as "riots" fueled by foreign adversaries and responded with harsh crackdowns. According to Amnesty International, security forces used live ammunition against the demonstrators.

Human rights organizations reported that 551 people were killed during the protests, while the government claims that dozens of security personnel also died. Thousands were arrested, according to the United Nations, and rights groups assert that the Iranian government continues to suppress dissent two years later.