Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Mar 28, 2026

Protests at funeral of Iranian woman who died in police custody

Protests at funeral of Iranian woman who died in police custody

Local media reports say police fire tear gas at a rally following the funeral of a young woman who died after being arrested by the so-called ‘morality police’, who found fault with her hijab.

Police have fired tear gas to disperse a protest rally in western Iran following the funeral ceremony for a young woman who died in police custody in Tehran earlier this week, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

The police said 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was detained on Tuesday after Iran’s so-called “morality police” found fault with her headscarf, or hijab, had died of a heart attack.

The police also released closed-circuit footage from the police station, which they say shows the moment Amini collapsed. A relative has said she had no history of heart disease.

Her body was laid to rest in her hometown of Saghez, 460km (285 miles) from Tehran in northwestern Kurdistan province, on Saturday morning, Fars reported.

“Following the funeral ceremony, some people left the scene while others remained, chanting slogans demanding detailed investigations into the dimensions of the story,” the agency said.

“The protesters then gathered in front of the governor’s office and chanted more slogans but were dispersed when security forces fired tear gas,” it added.

Amini’s death triggered an outcry against the morality police from celebrities and prominent figures on social media. Iran’s judiciary launched an investigation into her death.




Headscarves are compulsory for women in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and members of the morality police enforce the strict dress code.

They have been criticised in recent years over their treatment of people, especially young women, and videos uploaded on social media have shown officers forcing women into police vehicles.

Since 2017, after dozens of women publicly took off their headscarves in a wave of protests, authorities have adopted tougher measures.

However, the reformist Etemad Melli political party urged Iran’s parliament to cancel the law on the mandatory hijab and suggested President Ebrahim Raisi do away with the morality police.

The Kasra Hospital in Tehran, where police took Amini after she collapsed and slipped into a coma, said she was brought in without vital signs.

Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, who rarely reacts publicly to events in Iran, expressed sorrow and called Amini’s death in custody a “crime”.

Iranian ultraconservatives have called for harsh punishment and even lashes for women who disobey the hijab law, arguing that allowing women to show their hair leads to moral decay and the disintegration of families.

The judiciary has in recent years urged people to inform about women who do not wear the hijab.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Ukraine and Saudi Arabia Reach ‘Mutually Beneficial’ Defence Agreement
Ukraine to Share Battlefield Expertise with Saudi Arabia Under New Defence Agreement
Trump Takes Center Stage at Saudi Arabia’s FII Miami Amid Escalating Iran Conflict
Gulf States Explore Pipeline Routes to Bypass Strait of Hormuz Amid Rising Tensions
Iran Conflict Drives Saudi Arabia to Deepen Security Ties with Ukraine
Saudi Arabia Reviews Desert Ski Resort Plans with Cancellation of Key Building Contracts
Saudi Arabia Targets Business Hotel Shortfall with $1 Billion Development Push
Iran and Allied Forces Intensify Strikes on Energy Sites and Urban Areas Across Region
Ukraine and Saudi Arabia Formalise Defence Cooperation Agreement, Zelenskiy Announces
Saudi Arabia Reportedly Presses US to Intensify Operations Against Iran
Saudi Arabia Expands Maritime Network with Launch of Six New Shipping Services
Saudi Arabia Launches FII Summit Amid Heightened Focus on Global Stability and Investment Risks
Saudi Arabia’s HUMAIN Secures First US Customer in Expansion of AI Capabilities
Saudi Arabia Calls on US to Seize Strategic Opportunity to Reshape the Middle East
Saudi Arabia’s Strategic Investments Help Shape Silicon Valley’s Rise
Saudi Arabia Announces Passing of King Abdullah, Marking End of an Era
Saudi Arabia May Shift From Neutrality to Retaliation if Houthi Attacks Escalate, Experts Warn
UAE and Saudi Arabia Urge Decisive US Action on Iran as Regional Pressure Intensifies
Zelensky Visits Saudi Arabia After Offering Ukraine’s Drone Expertise
Saudi Arabia Pauses Ambitious Desert Ski Project Amid Strategic Reassessment
Trump Set for Palm Beach Return Following Saudi-Backed Summit in Miami
Saudi Arabia Accelerates Yanbu Oil Exports Toward Five Million Barrel Target
Report Highlights Saudi-US Security Discussions as Trump Administration Evaluates Iran Strategy
Saudi Arabia’s Humain Commits Three Billion Dollars to Elon Musk’s xAI in Strategic Technology Push
Saudi Arabia Signals Firm Shift in Iran Policy, Declares Coexistence No Longer Viable
Saudi Clubs Prepare Major Push to Sign Mohamed Salah Amid Growing Transfer Speculation
Saudi Arabia Rejects Claims It Seeks to Prolong Regional Conflict
Saudi Arabia Condemns Iranian Actions and Signals Firm Shift Toward Stronger Response
Saudi Arabia Reassesses Strategic Approach as Regional Tensions with Iran Intensify
Pakistan Reaffirms Strong Support for Saudi Arabia Following High-Level Visit
Saudi Arabia Expands Regional Trade Links by Opening New Land and Sea Routes to UAE
World Economic Forum Delays Saudi Conference as Regional Conflict Disrupts Global Agenda
Saudi Arabia and UAE Signal Potential Entry into Iran Conflict if Critical Infrastructure Is Targeted
Global Firms Accelerate Expansion into Saudi Arabia as Economic Reforms Gain Momentum
Global Labour Pressure Mounts as ILO Faces Calls to Reject Saudi Bid to Dismiss Migrant Worker Complaint
Gulf Powers Move Closer to Entering Iran Conflict as Regional Pressure Intensifies
Saudi Arabia Breaks Ranks with Regional Allies Over Response to Iran Escalation
Saudi Arabia Moves Closer to Direct Role as Iran Conflict Intensifies
World Economic Forum Postpones Jeddah Meeting Amid Escalating Regional Tensions
Saudi Crown Prince Reportedly Urges Trump to Sustain Military Pressure on Iran
Trump to Deliver Keynote Address at Saudi-Backed Investment Summit in Miami Beach
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait Press Ahead With Energy Agreements Despite Regional Conflict
Can Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu Port Replace Hormuz? Capacity Limits Test Critical Oil Lifeline
Saudi Arabia Detects Ballistic Missiles as Regional Tensions Escalate in Gulf
Saudi Aramco Reduces Oil Shipments to Asia for Second Consecutive Month
Saudi Aramco Reduces Oil Shipments to Asia for Second Consecutive Month
Saudi Arabia and UAE Push Ahead With Major Deals Despite Iran-Related Uncertainty
Formula One Cancels Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix Amid Escalating Regional Tensions
Pakistan Signals Strategic Realignment Toward Saudi Arabia Amid Regional Tensions
Saudi Arabia Cuts Oil Shipments to Asia as Regional Conflict Disrupts Key Export Routes
×