Woman Left in Coma by Morality Patrol Still Alive, Family Says

Mahsa Amini's family have denied a rumor published on social media earlier today that she had died. A source close to the family told IranWire: "We still haven't received any bad news. The situation appears to be as it was earlier. We hope she'll return and we'll be able to give you the good news."

The 22-year-old is understood to have suffered brain damage on Tuesday night after she was abducted off the street, taken to a police station and beaten by members of Tehran's "morality patrol" while on holiday with her family.

Since the early hours of Wednesday, Mahsa's devastated family have been under pressure from the security forces. They have been ordered not to talk to the media and uniformed officers have been stationed outside Kasra Hospital, where Mahsa is currently in a coma.

IranWire has been told that hospital security personnel are not allowing anyone into the ICU unless they give the name of the patient first. If they hear Amini’s name, a source said, they say nobody can visit her.

This evening an IranWire reporter called Kasra Hospital to enquire about visiting Mahsa Amini. When the operator heard the name, he broke the connection without an explanation.