One year on Young Iranians keep flame of freedom alive

Young Iranians have taken their protests against the authoritarian regime underground one year on from the death in custody of a 22-year-old woman detained for allegedly wearing the Islamic headscarf incorrectly.

- Deepa Parent

The death of Mahsa Amini on 16 September last year led to the largest wave of popular unrest for years in Iran and a brutal crackdown by security services in response, with hundreds of men, women and children killed and thousands more injured, according to human rights groups.

Young Iranians who spoke to the Observer say they have continued to protest secretly. "We may have quit the street protests temporarily but we haven't quit the protests," said Reza, a Tehran-based DJ and university student who said he plays "revolution-driven" music to keep "the momentum" going.

"I protested the first two months and somehow managed not to get hit by a pellet. Soon after we found out about the first execution, we were warned by our parents and professors to quit protesting on the streets. That's when we came up with the idea of night protests."