Iranian says his niece, 14, was detained during Mahsa Amini protests

Worried uncle, who fears reprisal from the Iranian authorities, said the demonstrations were not simply about the regime's compulsory dress code for women

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  Demonstrators chant slogans during the March of Solidarity for Iran in Washington. AFP

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  Another group of demonstrators at the march. AFP

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  A protest in support of Iranian women in Barcelona. Reuters

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  Iranian citizens and locals joined in the Barcelona protest. Reuters

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  People attend a demonstration in solidarity with Mahsa Amini and other Iranian women in Castello Square, Turin. EPA

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  A person places a candle during the demonstration in Turin. EPA

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  A protester holds a pre-Islamic Revolution Iranian flag during a demonstration in Brussels in support of the Iranians fighting for their freedom. AFP

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  A protester wearing a top with a logo that reads 'No to an Islamic state" as she takes part in a rally in support of the Iranian people, in Brussels. AFP

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  People wave the Shah-era Iranian flag during a protest in Paris. AFP

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  A woman shows her true colours in the protest against the Iranian government, in Paris. AFP

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  A woman holds a flag, as people protest against the Iranian regime outside Iran's embassy in central London. Reuters

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  Supporters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) carry placards and wave party flags in Beirut, during a protest against the death of Ms Amini. EPA

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  People demonstrate against the Iranian government outside the Houses of Parliament in London following the death of Amini. Reuters

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  A mural in Paris depicts women cutting their hair to show support for Iranian protesters. AP

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  People take part in a rally against the Iranian government in Vancouver, Canada, on Saturday. AP

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  Protesters take to the streets of Tehran. EPA

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  Iranian protesters run after clashing with with police. EPA

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  A protester shaves their head outside the Houses of Parliament in London. Reuters

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  Iranians living in Athens hold a protest in solidarity. AFP

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  People take part in a rally in The Hague. AFP

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  A woman cuts her hair during a demonstration in Santiago, Chile, by feminist groups and Iranian migrants in support of Iranian women following the death of Amini. AFP

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  Members of feminist groups and Iranian migrants during the protests in Santiago. AFP

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  Iranian activists shout slogans during a protest against the government in Tehran, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. EPA

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  A protester holds a painted portrait of Mahsa Amini in Berlin, Germany. EPA

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  A protester shows red paint on her face, resembling blood splatters and bloody handprints next to the national Iranian emblem, during a rally in Berlin. EPA

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  Iranian protesters shout slogan during a protest in Istanbul, Turkey. EPA

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  A woman holds a sign during a protest against the Iranian government, in front of the country's embassy in Madrid, Spain. The protests were triggered by the death of a young Iranian woman, Mahsa Amini, in police custody. Reuters

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  A woman cuts her hair during the protest in front of the Iranian embassy in Madrid. Reuters

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  Israelis show their support for women in Iran as they hold up placards of Amini during a protest in Jerusalem. EPA

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  Amini, 22, was arrested in Tehran on September 13, 2022, by the morality police. She fell into a coma while in police custody and was declared dead on September 16. EPA

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  People walk by graffiti in support of the protests triggered by Amini's death, in Jerusalem. EPA

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  A protest in Nantes, western France, after the death of Amini in Iranian police custody. AFP

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  Women gather for a demonstration in Barcelona, Spain. AFP

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  Demonstrators in Nantes. Amini's death has sparked a global protest movement. AFP

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  Women protest outside the town hall in in Montpellier, southern France. AFP

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  A woman at a protest in Catalunya Square, Barcelona. Reuters

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  Campaigners and football fans protest at a Champions League match between Porto and Bayer Leverkusen at the Dragao stadium in Portugal. EPA

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  People hold placards during a demonstration in solidarity with the Iranian people near the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. EPA

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  An Iranian woman living in Turkey with 'Freedom' written on her forehead takes part in a protest near the Iranian consulate in Istanbul. Reuters

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  In Barcelona, protesters take part in a demonstration in support of Iranian women. AFP

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  A Lebanese activist takes part in a protest in Beirut, triggered by the death of Amini, 22. AP

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  A Turkish protester takes off her head scarf while giving a performance in Instanbul during a protest against Iran over Amini's death. Getty

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  A woman in Istanbul cuts her hair during a protest against Iran. Getty

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  A Lebanese activist holds a poster depicting Amini during a protest in Beirut organised by feminist groups in support of women protesters in Iran. EPA

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  Demonstrators in Los Angeles, California, hold the Iranian flag during a protest against the government in Tehran. AFP

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  Demonstrators hold placards in Mexico City during a protest against Iran. Reuters

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  People demonstrate in Montreal, Canada, during a protest triggered by Amini's death. AFP

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  Iranian Americans participate in a rally in central Los Angeles, in solidarity with women in Iran. AP

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  Demonstrators march during a protest in Los Angeles, California. AFP

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  A woman with the colours of the Iranian flag painted on her face participates in a rally as thousands demonstrate in support of Iranian women in Los Angeles. EPA

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  Australians protest over Amini's death in Melbourne. EPA

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  Police block protesters from entering Iran's embassy in Oslo, Norway. EPA

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  Demonstrators in front of the European headquarters of the UN in Geneva, Switzerland, during a rally against Iran. EPA

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  A candlelight vigil for Amini in Los Angeles. AFP

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  Afghan women hold placards as they take part in a protest in front of the Iranian embassy in Kabul. AFP

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  Protestors take part in a rally outside the Iranian consulate in Istanbul. AFP

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  An Iranian woman shows a lock of hair she cut off during a protest outside the Iranian consulate in Istanbul. EPA

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  Demonstrators outside the Iranian consulate in Istanbul. Getty

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  Iranian Americans rally on Capitol Hill in Washington to show support for protesters in Iran. AFP

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  Protesters on Capitol Hill hold a sign condemning the crackdown by Tehran. AFP

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  German demonstrators gather in Berlin after the death of Amini in Iranian police custody. AP

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  A protester cries during a rally in Berlin. Reuters

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  A demonstration in Madrid, Spain. Thousands have gathered in cities across Europe to support protests in Iran. AP

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  Demonstrators gather outside the Iranian embassy in Madrid. Reuters

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  People take part in a protest in Lausanne, Switzerland. EPA

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  Protesters hold signs featuring images of Amini during the protest in the western Swiss city. EPA

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  Demonstrators in front of the Iranian embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. EPA

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  An activist outside the Iranian embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with a sign that reads 'Justice for Mahsa Amini'. AFP

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  A demonstration against violence in Iran is held in Quito, Ecuador. The Iranian community in Ecuador protested outside the Iranian embassy. EPA

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  Protesters at a demonstration outside the Iranian embassy in Quito, Ecuador. EPA

An Iranian man has told The National that two of his young nieces were detained for protesting in Qom, a city of significant religious importance.

Ashkan, who asked to be identified by his first name only for fear of reprisal from the Iranian authorities, said a demand to end the compulsory hijab is tied to calls for an end to the Tehran government.

“I saw hundreds of people in the streets, unlike the protests of 2017 and 2019. This time, they are calling for the removal of the regime, and not just the hijab,” Ashkan told The National from outside Iran.

“My two nieces were detained. One of them is 14 years old. She was released that same night. The other is 18 years old. She has been released on a bail of about $30,000.”

Ashkan's nieces, like many others, were protesting against the government's mandatory hijab. He said the demonstrations were not simply about the regime's compulsory dress code for women.

The protests were sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, in police custody on September 16 for allegedly breaching Iran's strict dress code for women.

Demonstrations were fuelled by the deaths of young protesters including Nika Shakarami, 16, who had been missing for 10 days before her family was informed.

Iran has denied that Amini was killed in a beating and ordered a “full investigation” into the circumstances of her death.

At least 201 people, including 23 children, have been killed since the protests began, Oslo-based Iran Human Rights said.

“Children have a legal right to protest,” IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said on Wednesday. “The United Nations has an obligation to defend children’s rights in Iran by applying pressure on the Islamic republic.”

Internet monitoring platform Netblocks reported "major disruption" to the network in Iran from around 9.30am local time as protests raged on.

Protesters were seen burning images of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“They are mostly students from high schools and universities. We can't distinguish between the demand for the end of the compulsory hijab and the removal of the regime. There's a big tie between the two. People understand that without being against the government, we can't get rid of the compulsory hijab,” Ashkan said.

He said he came from a religious family with women who, themselves, wear the hijab out of choice not out of compulsion, but they chose to take to the streets anyway.

A man walks past a fountain in Tehran, which was reportedly coloured red in protest against a bloody crackdown on weeks of anti-government protests. AFP

He also said it was too late to quell demonstrations with reforms.

“In my view, it's too late for bringing that kind of freedom to society. If it was in the last two decades, that might have been enough — but now, protesters are not satisfied with just making the hijab non-compulsory.”

Mahsa Amini's death

On Monday, Iran's High Council for Human Rights released a report determining the “real cause” of Amini's death.

“After undergoing craniopharyngioma surgery to remove a brain tumour at the age of 8, the deceased developed a disorder in the important hypothalamus-pituitary axis and the glands under its command, including adrenal and thyroid,” the report read.

“It should be noted that on the strength of hospital medical documents, the examination of CT scan of the brain and lungs, the results of physical examination of the body and autopsy as well as pathology tests, death was not caused by blows to the head or any vital organs and parts of the body.”

A newspaper in Tehran with a cover picture of Mahsa Amini, a woman who died after being arrested by the country's morality police. Reuters

Amini's father told BBC Persian that the documents released by the Iranian authorities to support their version of events on Amini's pre-existing conditions are bogus.

“All of the documents the authorities are showing are fake. They are lying. Mahsa did not have any issues. She only had minor issues to remove an under-skin cyst from her left eye 15 years ago. I don't know how they come up with these lies. I reject them all,” he said.

“My daughter was beaten and that's the reason she died.”

He also said if the authorities had been truthful, they would have let the family see Mahsa's body one last time before her burial.