Iranians staged new protest actions Thursday in defiance of a crackdown by the authorities as a rights groups said an 18-year-old became the latest teen killed in clashes in the northwest. Iran has for over six weeks been gripped by protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, who had been arrested by the notorious morality police — a movement that poses the biggest challenge to the Islamic republic since the 1979 revolution.
The clerical leadership under Ayatollah Khamenei, 83, has responded with a crackdown that, as well as killing dozens, has seen 1,000 people charged so far and according to activists risking the death penalty.
With the movement no signs of abating, the problems for the authorities are compounded by the tradition in Iran of holding a “chehelom” mourning ceremony 40 days after a death, meaning each new killing can fuel new protest actions.
Norway-based group, Iran Human Rights, said large numbers in the city of Karaj outside Tehran were Thursday attending a 40-day ceremony for Hadis Najafi, a 22-year-old woman activists say was killed by security forces in September.
IHR said police had blocked the highway leading to the cemetery to prevent even larger numbers attending.
“This year is the year of blood, Seyyed Ali (Khamenei) will be toppled,” the video showed them chanting.
