Here's a timeline of anti-hijab protests in Iran after Mahsa Amini's death

The death of a 22-year-old woman in the custody of Iran's 'morality' police angered Iranians. Mahsa Amini was detained by police for violating dress rules by allegedly wearing a loose headscarf. After her death on September 16, people took to the streets to hold a protest. Women and girls In Iran removed their headscarves, chopped their hair and posted videos on social media. Women across the world offered support to Iranian women by taking off their headscarves and cutting their hair. 

Here is a timeline of unrest in Iran:

On September 13, Iran's morality police arrested Mahsa Amini in Tehran. She was detained for allegedly wearing a headscarf or hijab too loosely. 

Mahsa Amini collapsed at a police station and died three days later on September 16. Police have denied involvement in her death and claimed that she was taken to hospital after she allegedly suffered a heart attack. 

According to AP, police released a video which appeared to show Amini inside a police station with other people who were detained. In the video, she could be seen walking up to another woman for talking. As the video proceeded, the woman held her head with boat hands and stumbled against a chair. The clip then showed that the woman was being taken on a stretcher. Amini's family has rejected the claims made by the police and said that she had no history of heart disease. 

On September 17, Mahsa Amini, who was a Kurdish woman was buried in her hometown Saqez in western Iran. Soon after her burial, protests erupted in Iran and police fired tear gas to disperse protesters. 

On September 18, videos of furious women protesters surfaced on social media which showed them cutting their hair and burning their hijabs or headscarf to showcase their opposition. The videos were uploaded on social media with the hashtag #MahsaAmini 

Protests erupted in Tehran Universities on September 19, calling for an investigation into the death of Mahsa Amini. Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi who departed for attending United Nations General Assembly ordered an investigation into the death of Amini. The judiciary also launched a probe into the matter. 

Acting UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif on 20 September expressed "alarm" at the death of Mahsa Amini. Al-Nashif said that Amini's death must be "promptly, impartially and effectively" investigated by an independent competent authority. 

Iran disrupted the internet and blocked access to social networking platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp on September 22 in parts of Tehran and Kurdistan.

On September 23, Iranian counter-protesters took to the streets to showcase support for the authorities. The people carried Iranian flags in Tehran and other parts of Iran. Iran's State TV said that the death toll from unrest after Mahsa Amini's death could be as high as 35.

As of September 24, Iranian State TV has claimed that people killed in the protests has reached 41. 

The Committee to Protect Journalists on September 27 said that at least 20 journalists have been arrested in Iran since the protests erupted over the death of Mahsa Amini. The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Iranian authorities to release the arrested journalists.

On September 28, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned that no one is permitted to "cause chaos" in the nation, BBC News reported citing State TV, as per the AP report. He asserted that those who participated in the "riots" must be "dealt with decisively" and termed it the demand of the people. 

Iran Human Rights group 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.

On October 3, Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said he was "deeply heartbroken" by the death of Mahsa Amini and even termed it a "tragic incident," according to AP. However, he claimed that these "riots" in Iran were planned by "America and the Zionist regime, and their employees."

On 8 October, the Iranian Legal Medicine Organization claimed that her death was caused by multiple organ failure and not by a "blow to the head and limbs." However, Amini's father did not agree to the forensic report and claimed that he saw blood coming from Mahsa Amini's ears and the back of her neck, Iran International reported.

Human rights activists have expressed concerns over the crackdown in Kurdish-populated city in western Iran. As per a BBC News report, the Kurdish group Hengaw shared a video which showed police personnel shooting at homes in the city. It claimed that at least five civilians had been killed and 400 others were injured.

Protests spread to at least 19 cities in Iran on Wednesday, October 12, after the death of Mahsa Amini. The protesters have included oil workers, high school students and women. Call for protests resulted in the massive deployment of riot police on the streets. 

Iran Human Rights Group on 13 October claimed that at least 201 people including 23 children have lost their lives since the nationwide protests which began in September. 

Notably, the protests in Iran have witnessed support from the international community. Canada imposed new sanctions against 25 individuals and nine entities, which include senior Iranian officials and entities that breach "human rights and disseminate Iranian regime propaganda and disinformation." The United States has offered support to the Iranian protesters.

Many women across the world have showcased support for Iranian women, including European Union lawmakers. In her speech at European Parliament, Abir Al-Sahlani said, "The hands of the regimes of the mullahs in Iran are stained with blood. Neither history nor Allah or god almighty will forgive you for the crimes against humanity that you are committing against your own citizens." She called on Iran to immediately stop violence against men and women in the country. She concluded her speech by taking out a scissor and cutting her ponytail.

Inputs from AP

Image: AP