The death of a young woman in custody of the country's morality police has sparked worldwide protests, calling for an end to the hijab mandate. The morality police arrested Amini after accusing her of violating the hijab law. Police said she died of a heart attack, but her family and protesters said that wasn't true. The closed-circuit footage shows Amini collapsing on the back of a chair and falling to the floor. According to Emtedad news, a pro-reform media outlet in Iran, her family argued that she had no pre-existing heart condition. Protests have taken place in dozens of cities. Female protesters cut their hair in defiance. 17 people have died since demonstrations began, according to the government. Access to social media sites has been restricted. In Lebanon, Germany, Turkey, the U.S. and Greece, there have been protests. An inquiry into Amini's death has been called for by the UN. The UN experts condemned the use of physical violence against women and the denial of human dignity when wearing a hijab. The U.S. is trying to revive the Iranian Nuclear Deal after she died. The president of Iran promised an investigation. The protests have become more of a critique of the ruling party and of the effects of sanctions on the economy and corruption. You can write to Sanya Mansoor at sanya.mansoor@time.com.
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