Death of Jina Mahsa Amini — death of Iranian Kurdish woman who was arrested and potentially abused by the Guidance Patrol of Iran
Amini's death while in morality police custody sparked Iran's largest protest wave since 2009 and ignited the global Woman, Life, Freedom movement.
Key Facts
- Age at death
- 22 years old
- Date of death
- 16 September 2022
- Arresting authority
- Guidance Patrol (morality police)
- Protest deaths by Dec 2022
- At least 476 people
- Movement sparked
- Woman, Life, Freedom
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman, was arrested by Iran's Guidance Patrol in September 2022 for allegedly not wearing the hijab in compliance with government standards. Eyewitnesses reported she was severely beaten in custody, contradicting official claims of a heart attack.
On 16 September 2022, Amini died in a Tehran hospital after falling into a coma while in police custody. Leaked medical scans and witness testimony led observers to conclude she suffered a cerebral hemorrhage or stroke from head injuries sustained after her arrest, though Iranian authorities denied any abuse.
Amini's death triggered nationwide protests described as Iran's largest since at least 2009, with security forces killing at least 476 demonstrators by December 2022. The unrest catalyzed the global Woman, Life, Freedom movement, demanding an end to compulsory hijab laws and broader repression of women in Iran.