Mahsa’s Uncle Arrested amid Fears of Renewed Protests

Iranian security forces have arrested an uncle of Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old woman whose death in police custody nearly a year ago led to months of nationwide anti-establishment protests.

Security agents raided on September 5 the private residence of Safa Aeli in the western city of Saqqez and took him to an undisclosed location.

The Iranian authorities, fearing a flare up in protests ahead of the first anniversary of Amini's death on September 16, have ramped up their crackdown against activists and families of those killed in the widespread demonstrations.

On September 3, Farzaneh Barzekar, the mother of a 21-year-old man killed by security forces during last year's protests was also arrested after attending a memorial ceremony for a protester who recently died in prison.

Amnesty International has condemned the Iranian government's treatment of the families of protest victims, calling it a "campaign of intimidation." 

In a report published on August 21, the London-based human rights watchdog documented the cases of 36 victims’ families from 10 provinces across the country who have been subjected to human rights violations in recent months.

Human rights organizations had previously sounded the alarm, reporting that over the past five months, more than 70 members of petitioner families have been subjected to arrests.