Iran arrests former President's daughter for 'inciting rioters' amid anti-hijab protests

Amid the anti-hijab protests in Iran, former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's daughter has been arrested allegedly for "inciting rioters" to street protests in Tehran. Faezeh Hashemi, daughter of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani was arrested by the security agency for 'inciting rioters' to protest in eastern part of Tehran, Tasnim news agency reported. The arrest comes amid nation-wide protests in Iran in wake of the death of Mahsa Amini in 'morality' police custody. Faezeh Hashemi, the daughter of former Iranian President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani who died in 2017, has previous run-ins with Iran's security agencies for alleged "anti-government activities," Anadolu Agency reported. She was charged with "propaganda activity against the Islamic Republic" in July over her statement regarding the removal of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from the US State Department’s list of foreign terrorist organisations. Hashemi was charged with "blasphemy" after she reportedly called the wife of Prophet Muhammad a "businesswoman" whose money she claimed Prophet spent. In 2012, she spent six months in prison on charges of "propaganda activities" and was arrested a few times during the unrest in 2009. Iran protests Notably, the protests erupted in Iran on 16 September after the death of Mahsa Amini in 'morality' police custody. She was allegedly detained for wearing the headscarf too loosely. Iranian Police have claimed that Mahsa Amini died due to a heart attack and she was not mistreated. However, her family has raised doubts regarding the claims made by the police. Protests which started after Amini's death have spread around 46 cities, towns and villages in Iran and clashes between security personnel and protesters. Iranian women held protests by taking off headscarves and chopping their hair. A rights group in Iran has claimed that at least 76 protesters have been killed by security personnel. Iran Human Rights group said that most families have been forced to bury their family members at night and they were pressurised against holding public funerals. As per the Associated Press tally, more than 1200 protesters have been arrested since the protests erupted in Iran following Mahsa Amini's death. Inputs from AP Image: AP

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Iran arrests former President's daughter for 'inciting rioters' amid anti-hijab protests

Faezeh Hashemi, the daughter of former Iranian President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani who died in 2017, has previous run-ins with Iran's security agencies.

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