Photo: Allison Bailey/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
BBC reports that more than 1,000 students — mostly young girls — have dealt with nausea and respiratory problems since November, in what some believe is a deliberate attempt to shut down girls' schools in the country. Dozens have been hospitalized in the incidents, which have so far affected 26 schools in five Iranian cities.
On Sunday, Iran’s deputy health minister said, “It became evident that some people wanted all schools, especially girls' schools, to be closed down,” before later walking back those remarks,BBCreports.
Allison Bailey/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
The woman, Mahsa Amini died in police custody following her arrest, as U.S. Ambassador to the United NationsLinda Thomas-Greenfieldpreviously explained to PEOPLE.
“She was arrested and taken into police custody for what they call an ‘educational and reorientation class,'” Thomas-Greenfield said. “Some hours later, she was transferred to the hospital in a coma and she died two days later.”
Iranian women have taken to the streetsto protest Amini’s deathin the weeks and months since, facing violence and even death themselves as the eyes of the world have turned to the morality police, which the U.S. State Department has described as an organization that enforces “restrictions on freedom of expression.”
Human rights organizations have estimated that hundreds of the protesters — including dozens of children — have beenkilled.
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Many of those whoparticipated in the protestswere schoolgirls themselves, leading many to claim the poisoning incidents could be linked.
source: people.com
