Geneva: The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights described a hardening of the government's response to protests that have resulted in more than 300 deaths in the last two months when she declared the situation in Iran "critical." Spokesperson for UN human rights chief VolkerTurk stated that “The rising number of deaths from protests in Iran, including those of two children at the weekend, and hardening of response by security forces, underline the critical situation in the country.”
Since the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, in morality police custody on September 16 after she was detained for wearing clothing deemed "inappropriate," the Islamic Republic has been rocked by widespread protests. The protests, which have evolved into a popular uprising by Iranians from all social strata and represent one of the most audacious challenges to the clerical rulers since the 1979 revolution, have been orchestrated, according to Tehran, by foreign enemies and their agents.
Last week, Iran’s football team declined to sing their anthem before their opening World Cup match as a sign of support for the protesters.
