Several major towns and cities across Iran have erupted in protests led by women, following the death of a young woman at the hands of Iran's morality police, who deemed her to be in violation of the country's strict dress code for women.
A protester drags a burning motorbike during a protest for a woman who died.
Over the past five days, anti-government protests featuring both women and men have quickly spread across dozens of towns and cities.
Women protesters have burned their headscarves and cut off their hair in public to express their anger.
Anger has been directed towards the regime in Tehran with protesters chanting for the death of the supreme leader and his son.
Human rights groups say at least six people have been killed by authorities as of Wednesday, while the government says three people were killed by protesters.
According to CNN, some people are carrying out flash protests in an attempt to guard against security forces.
According to a video shared by the Persian News Service, protesters in Tehran painted over a street sign in honor of a young woman who died in the protests.
Amini was arrested by Iran's morality police while she was in Tehran. The public dress code for women requires them to cover their heads with a hijab and wear loose fitting clothes that cover their arms and legs. After she was arrested, witnesses say she was beaten by the morality police and fell into a coma. There were reports that Amini was hit on the head with a baton and had her head bang against a morality police vehicle. Amini died in hospital from a heart attack, police officials said. The family of Amini categorically denied that she had any physical problems. The ongoing anti-government protests are the largest Iran has seen in the last year.
Amini's death has been criticized by the acting UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. She said thatMahsa Amini's death and allegations of torture and ill-treatment must be thoroughly investigated by an independent competent authority.
The Guidance Patrol, also known as the Gasht-e Ershad, was established in 2005 to make sure that women comply with the dress code. There are both men and women officers in the Guidance Patrol. Women who are not complying with the dress code can be stopped and held.
Women are burning headscarves at anti-hijab protests.
Hundreds of Iranian women burn their hijabs in protest.
Protests broke out in Iranian cities after a woman died in custody.
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