This Photo Was Taken in July 2022, Not During the Current Mahsa Amini Protests
The Claim
A photo depicts two women crying after being arrested and dragged into a van during an ongoing Iranian protest against the police.
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Emerging story
During the current protests in Iran, an image purportedly showing two women crying after being detained and dragged into the van by Iran's morality police began circulating on social media.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the viral claim and found it to be misleading.
This widely circulated photo does not depict the arrest of two women during Iran's ongoing Mahsa Amini protests.
It is old and unrelated to the recent Iran protests.
Iran Protests on July 8
After conducting a thorough reverse image search, Misbar discovered that the image was originally posted on Twitter on July 8, 2022, by the Iranian human rights group NUFDI.
What Is Happening in Iran?
At least 26 people have died as a result of the tensions since protests began following Mahsa Amini's death, according to Iranian state TV on Friday.
Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurd from the northwest city of Saqez, died in a hospital on Friday after being in a coma for three days.
Amini was brutally detained by the morality police because she was accused of not complying with the law requiring women to wear loose clothing and a hijab in public.
According to reports, officers struck Ms. Amini in the head with a baton before slamming her head against a police car.
In accordance with the Islamic Sharia law that was put in place after the 1979 revolution, Iranian women are obligated to cover their hair and wear long, loose clothing to conceal their figures.
Violators risk public chastisement, fines, or arrest.
Influence of Mahsa Amini's Death
Thousands have taken to the streets in Iran's major cities to protest Amini's death, including Tehran, Isfahan, Karaj, Mashhad, Rasht, Saqqes, and Sanandaj.
In response to Amina's death, women protested by marching with their hair cut short, burning their headscarves, and chanting anti-police slogans.
On September 22, 2022, the Iranian government reportedly cut off internet access in Tehran and some areas of Kurdistan. Instagram and WhatsApp were blocked by the government in an effort to stop the spread of the popular uprising.
The U.S. declared it will loosen internet restrictions for Iran in response to Tehran's crackdown on protests.
"We took action today to advance Internet freedom and the free flow of information for the Iranian people, issuing a General License to provide them greater access to digital communications to counter the Iranian government’s censorship," Anthony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, posted a tweet.
However, clashes between police and protesters have been initiated since Amini's death.
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