What’s happening in Iran

The last eight weeks have been some of the most chaotic times in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. In the first capital punishment sentence handed down since anti-government demonstrations began in September, an Iranian court has sentenced a protester to death for allegedly setting fire to a government building.

The government has been ruthless in its retaliation against people it perceives as causing instability, with judges doling out prison sentences and hundreds of people across the country being charged with “enmity against God” and “spreading corruption on Earth”—crimes that are punishable by death. There are reportedly as many as 20 Iranians currently facing the death penalty.

Here are some recent developments in the nationwide uprising for freedom in Iran.

• Hasty executions. According to human rights groups, more than 300 people have been killed by security forces while participating in anti-government protests. Iran Human Rights, a Norway-based nonprofit, says that at minimum the Iranian government is responsible for the death of 43 children and 25 women. Some 40 members of the government’s security forces are reported to have been killed in clashes. According to some estimates, upwards of 15,000 demonstrators have been arrested since the uprising began.
• A global response. In response to requests from the German and Icelandic ambassadors, the U.N. Human Rights Council has scheduled an urgent session on November 24 to discuss the growing violence in Iran and the government’s lethal response to protests.
• European sanctions. The European Union imposed sanctions on Iranian officials and entities (including state television), involving asset freezes and travel bans on 29 individuals believed to be responsible for human rights violations. 
• The death of Jina Amini. Protests in Iran were sparked by the death of a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini, known by her Kurdish name, Jina, who was arrested and violently beaten by the country’s morality police. Amini died on September 16, resulting in national outrage and mobilizing a women-led movement that has garnered international support. Protesters are calling for the end of oppressive laws and the dissolution of the country’s Islamic government. 
• Iran’s attack on Iraq. On Monday, Iran launched missiles and drones targeting Northern Iraq, the base for Kurdish opposition groups. Iran blames those groups for inciting anti-government movements. According to Reuters, the exiled Iranian Kurdish opposition party, Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, said that two of its fighters were killed during the attacks on four of its offices.