The GuardianThe Guardian

‘They used our hijabs to gag us’: Iran protesters tell of rapes, beatings and torture by police

By Deepa Parent and Ghoncheh Habibiazad

06 Feb 2023 · 6 min read

Editor's Note

The Guardian reports on the brutal mistreatment of citizens, who have been detained in Iran. In this article, we hear of the human rights abuses they endured at the hands of state security forces.

On the evening of 15 October 2022, when the street protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini were at their peak, 25-year-old Dorsa* was stopped at a checkpoint while driving through a city in the country’s northern Gilan province.

The checkpoint was chaotic; 25 to 30 heavily armed security officers were shouting and screaming at people to get out of their vehicles.

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