Inside Iran: What Happened to Iran’s Women-led Uprising?
Summary
TLDRThis video script recounts the tense experience of a film crew in Iran, who faced an abrupt end to their filming after being detained by Iran's Security Forces. The narrative delves into the country's ongoing protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, arrested for violating the dress code. It highlights the regime's brutal crackdown on dissent, the defiance of Iranian women, and the challenges faced by journalists trying to report the truth amidst restrictions and threats. The story underscores the struggle for freedom and the regime's attempts to silence its own people.
Takeaways
- 😷 The crew experienced an abrupt end to their filming in Iran due to being detained by individuals claiming to be from Iran's Security Forces, who confiscated their belongings and footage.
- 🚨 After a tense 18-hour detention, the crew was released with only their phones and instructed to leave the country, highlighting the strict control over foreign media in Iran.
- 🔥 The script describes widespread protests in Iran, ignited by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was arrested for violating the country's dress code and died in custody.
- 👥 The Iranian regime responded to the protests with brute force, leading to mass arrests, killings, and executions, with security forces also suffering casualties.
- 📹 The first US TV crew since the unrest was allowed into Iran with rare visas granted by the regime, indicating some level of openness but with significant restrictions.
- 🏠 Businesses and cafes were shut down by authorities in an attempt to suppress the protests, particularly those that allowed women not wearing hijabs.
- 👮♂️ The crew faced immediate police attention upon arrival in areas of unrest, with authorities quickly moving to control the narrative and restrict access.
- 📚 At the Tehran International Book Fair, the crew discovered that all books had to be government-approved, reflecting the regime's control over information and culture.
- 🤔 The script includes a conversation with a cleric who believes Western media influences women's choices, suggesting a belief in the regime's narrative about external influences on Iranian society.
- 👩🎓 Iranian students described being forced to adhere to strict dress codes and sign pledges not to protest, indicating the regime's efforts to control youth and suppress dissent.
- 📝 Journalists in Iran face severe repercussions for their work, with some arrested and sentenced to long prison terms for reporting on events like Mahsa Amini's death.
Q & A
What happened to the journalists while they were in Iran?
-The journalists were detained by Iran Security Forces, had their equipment and footage confiscated, and were instructed to leave the country with only their phones.
What sparked the recent mass protests in Iran?
-The protests were sparked by the death of 22-year-old Masa Amini, who died after being allegedly beaten by Iran's morality police for violating the country's strict dress code.
How did the Iranian regime respond to the protests?
-The regime responded with a brutal crackdown, detaining tens of thousands, killing hundreds, executing several protesters, and targeting security officers.
What restrictions did the journalists face while filming in Iran?
-They were only allowed to visit pre-approved locations and were constantly monitored by authorities, who insisted on deleting some of their footage and limited their interactions with locals.
What is the significance of the city of Qom in Iran?
-Qom is one of the holiest cities in Iran and a center for the clerical establishment, which has significant influence and power within the Iranian regime.
What kind of influence does the clerical establishment have in Iran?
-The clerical establishment has a huge amount of influence and power, and is a central figure in the current regime, having ruled over Iran since the Islamic Revolution.
How are children being influenced by the regime?
-Organizations like the Basij train young children in Islamic values and the operational norms of the regime, aiming to perpetuate the current system.
What challenges do journalists face when reporting in Iran?
-Journalists face severe restrictions, constant surveillance, risk of detention, and the challenge of having their work censored or deleted by authorities.
What actions have been taken against journalists and media in Iran since the protests?
-Around 100 journalists have been arrested, with those who reported on Masa Amini's death receiving long prison sentences.
What new legislation has been passed in Iran regarding the hijab?
-Iran's Parliament passed a new hijab bill, imposing up to 10 years in prison for those dressed inappropriately, and the morality police have reportedly returned to the streets.
Outlines
😨 Abrupt End in Iran
The video crew experienced a sudden end to their filming in Iran after being detained by Iran's Security Forces. Their phones, personal belongings, and camera gear were confiscated, and they were held for 18 hours before being ordered to leave the country with only their phones. The experience was extremely stressful, highlighting the oppressive environment in Iran. The video transitions into discussing the ongoing protests in Iran, sparked by the death of 22-year-old Masa Amini after being detained by the morality police for allegedly violating the country's dress code.
🚔 Police Suppression and Protest Footage
The crew arrived in Iran with rare visas, intending to cover the protests. They visited neighborhoods central to the protests and encountered police repression firsthand. They were detained, and some footage was deleted by the police. Despite the heavy police presence, the crew continued to document the unrest, capturing the chants of protest that filled Tehran at night. Their movements were restricted to pre-approved locations, emphasizing the regime's control over media coverage.
📚 Government-Controlled Media and Dress Code Enforcement
At an international book fair, the crew learned that all exhibited books must be government-approved. They interviewed a cleric who insisted that the Islamic dress code is influenced by Western media and emphasized the government's strict control over women's attire. The regime's influence extends to all aspects of public life, including education, where students face severe consequences for non-compliance with the dress code and other regulations.
🔫 Brutal Crackdowns and Student Repression
Students and young people shared their experiences of repression, including being forced to sign pledges to adhere to strict codes and facing violence from security forces. A teenager recounted being shot at without provocation. The crew visited a religious city where they observed the deep-rooted power of the clerical establishment. The ongoing protests have targeted this establishment, leading to brutal crackdowns with thousands arrested and hundreds killed or tortured.
📸 Journalism Under Threat
The crew interviewed Yalda Mari, a photojournalist arrested multiple times for her work documenting the regime's repression. She shared her harrowing experiences, including solitary confinement and ongoing legal battles. The regime's crackdown on media aims to prevent the truth from being exposed. Despite the risks, journalists continue to document the harsh realities faced by the Iranian people.
🚔 State-Controlled Narrative and Brutal Repression
The crew met with the Vice President for Women's Affairs, questioning her about the repression against women and the death of Masa Amini. The regime's narrative blames Western influence for unrest, denying responsibility for violence against protesters. The vice president defended the hijab law, reflecting the regime's resistance to change despite widespread protests. The crew's detention and expulsion from Iran underscored the regime's fear of losing control over the narrative and the brutal methods used to maintain power. Recently, new laws have been passed, increasing penalties for dress code violations, showing the regime's ongoing efforts to suppress dissent.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Hijab
💡Morality Police
💡Protests
💡Clerical Establishment
💡Reformist
💡Security Forces
💡Detention Center
💡Crackdown
💡Journalist
💡Minister of Women's Affairs
💡Execution
Highlights
Journalists detained by Iran Security Forces and had their equipment confiscated.
Masa Amini's arrest and death by morality police sparked widespread protests.
Women defied the hijab mandate by burning hijabs and cutting their hair.
Security forces responded to protests with brute force, detaining thousands and killing hundreds.
US TV crew received rare visas to operate in Iran amidst the unrest.
Authorities cracked down on businesses allowing women without hijabs.
Police immediately intervened during interviews with locals about protests.
Permissions to film in Iran came with restrictions to pre-approved locations.
International Book Fair in Tehran showcased only government-approved books.
Iranian authorities used harsh methods to enforce dress code in schools and universities.
Security forces fired on teenage protestors, causing severe injuries.
Religious clerics in Qom hold significant influence within the Iranian regime.
Some clerics face public anger, calling for an end to the clerical establishment.
Journalists and media facing severe repression, with many arrested and tortured.
Vice President Kazali defends hijab laws despite evidence of brutality against women.
A new hijab bill passed, imposing severe penalties for non-compliance.
Transcripts
so we've just had a pretty abrupt ending
to our time filming here in Iran the
yesterday we were leaving the hotel when
we were jobed on by eight guys who told
us they were with Iran Security Forces
um they took our phones they pointed a
gun in our heads they took all our
personal belongings they took all our
camera gear they took all our footage um
they then took us back to a hotel room
um well we've been for the last 18 hours
or
so they have allowed us or in fact
they've told us to leave the country now
with our phones only they've kept our
computers they've kept everything
else it has been the most stressful 24
hours and I honestly am so relieved to
be getting out of
[Music]
here the Islamic Republic of Iran is no
stranger to popular uprisings but the
demonstrations sweeping the country
today are
different last September 22-year-old
Masa amini was arrested by Iran's
morality police she was accused of
violating the country's strict dress
code and taken to a Detention Center
where she was allegedly beaten she died
soon
after that sparked outrage and months of
mass protests erupted across
Iran
[Music]
women burned their hijabs cut their hair
and stormed the streets in Rage the
regime responded with Brute Force
detaining tens of thousands killing
hundreds and executing seven several
dozen security officers were also killed
in the
clashes
[Music]
one week before our detention we arrived
in Iran we're the first US TV crew to be
here since the chaos first broke
out we are here in Iran I can't quite
believe it but we have been given very
rare visas to come and operate here by
the Iranian
regime so we're just driving towards a
neighborhood in tan that's been at the
center of some of these protests over
the last few months this neighborhood
has been a gathering point for young
people rebelling against the system
including five girls who posted this
viral video of themselves dancing
uncovered they were later
arrested so you can see a bunch of these
restaurants and cafes have been shut
down recently by the authorities in a
very clear concerted effort to close
down shop cafes restaurants businesses
that are allowing women who are not
wearing hijabs to enter so they're
actually targeting the businesses
themselves but you can see despite that
a lot of women around here are still
walking around completely uncovered in a
very very clear sign of defiance against
the authorities
demands do you mind having a chat with
us do you know what happened around
here can you tell
me
why is it you're worried about showing
your
[Music]
face he was right as soon as he started
talking the police arrived to St us as
Vice huh why is Farm rare
America
[Music]
we've been here for 2 minutes and the
police have already surrounded
us the police have asked for us to leave
this area because there's a protest
that's about to start in a few minutes
and they definitely do not want us
seeing
that we were taken to the roadside and
detained for several hours till night
fell we deleting
it more police arrived are we not
allowed to be
here so we've finally been Let Go by the
police after a couple of hours hours
they insisted on deleting some of our
footage and we're now just driving
around the city because we've heard that
there are protests happening and it's
some very strong police presence around
the city right now can see a bunch of
Riot police on the corner we think that
we're being followed so we can't
actually get out of the car to see
what's going
[Music]
on later that night chants of protest
came ringing out through Teran
[Music]
it quickly became apparent that our
permissions to be here came with
restrictions we could only visit places
pre-approved by Iran's media Wing Tan's
International book fair was deemed
uncontroversial enough for us to attend
but as soon as we arrived we were told
by a passing stranger that all the books
that they and we saw must now be
government approved we're choosing not
to show his face you know the current
situation is so terrible right now has
the type of books that are being sold
here and being showcased here changed
yeah yeah of course in what way the way
that some some Publishers are not
allowed to to exhibit their books here
why is that because of
political measures they been
limited one of the conditions of people
coming here is that women are dressed
correctly so this here right at the
entrance of the event is the center for
advising women on how to wear the hijab
and what could go wrong if you
don't what is your role here we are
speaking about their questions about why
we have this if we are Muslim why should
we have this if they are somebody who
are not Muslim they why why they should
have this uhhuh I am here to speak with
the teenagers with the young people to
tell to them think about my speaking
think about what I say to you so you're
trying to influence them yes yes yes and
now the
media those media who don't want our
country don't want our
say and say and tell and tell about your
woman don't shouldn't have this this is
not Freedom so you think that it's
Western media that is influencing women
of course it is of course it is you know
it's nothing to do with the fact that
some women might choose not to wear a
head scar very little you know very
little some women you know um Iranian
people the the problem of Iranian people
is not Islam but the medas don't want
Islam you know your problem is this is
scar no Amma Islamic revolution because
we love Islam and Islam is whatever God
say to us not whatever I want you want
whatever you want whatever she want
whatever you know so there shouldn't be
that personal freedom of choice just
choice in the in the limit of Islam
whatever God let us right what is it
that you came here for
today
and do you feel convinced by the
conversation that you've been having
today yes yes will you change your
behaviors or what you wear at all I
don't want to change her behavior I
don't want her I want her to
[Music]
teach
you're going to stop us yes
[Music]
why it was just getting
interesting we are Iranian all of
Iranian are interesting you know yeah
it's a very interesting
conversation but more and more Iranians
are
resisting throughout our time a handful
of young Brave individuals decided to
talk to us we're hiding their
identities they told us about the
security forces harsh crackdowns which
have since expanded to schools and
universities very it was protest they
don't let us go to the classes without
scar they fired a lot of our friends
they fired them from doormats they they
don't have anywhere to sleep everything
is a crime doesn't matter what it is is
you can drink you can shake handy girls
you can you can't do anything students
told us they were forced to sign a
pledge saying that they would adhere to
the dress code that they wouldn't sit
next to those of the opposite sex and
that they wouldn't protest signing a
pledge is not losing anything it's just
that we can't defeat them right now I
think our generation is going
to overcome the system of
eventually just not right
now violence they told us had been used
to silence them one teenager told me how
Security Forces had opened fire on her
we were at the park and they just shoot
at us without no reason we're just
sitting we didn't do anything were you
badly hit yeah it's it's really hard I I
think I think uh I'm in danger she
showed me several rubber bullet wounds
scattered across her
body the next day we left the capital
and traveled to K to try and get a taste
for how the religious sex of the country
[Music]
felt this is a very different sight to
what we've been seeing online recently
all these people have come to the city
of pal which is one of the holiest
cities in IR to come show their respect
for their
religion
this is where a lot of the clerical
establishment are based and these
clerics here have a huge amount of
influence a huge amount of power within
the Iranian regime so if any change
happens it's very likely to start right
here much of the country's public anger
over the last year is directed towards
the all powerful clerical establishment
who sat in power for over four decades
since the Islamic
revolution this anger reached a boiling
point last year when religious clerics
were attacked their turbin tossed from
their heads in a sign of resentment
towards the Theocratic system that rules
over the Iranian people these recent
protests demanding changes have led to a
brutal Crackdown there's been tens of
thousands of people have been arrested
there's been hundreds of people who have
been killed hundreds more have been
beaten been tortured do you not think
that if clerics like yourself condemned
that kind of behavior from this regime
that that would make a big impact on
society
these are figures that come from the UN
these are figures that come from outside
monitoring group these are figures that
come from Human Rights
organizations so you don't think that
there's been any violence towards
[Music]
protesters it sounds like you stand 100%
by the regime by the government it
sounds like you don't really want
anything to
change but not all clerics are aligned
we met up with Muhammad tagi fazel mbodi
a self-proclaimed reformist cleric who
challenges the current government by
questioning their
legitimacy you know I wasn't expecting a
religious cleric in Iran to let me ride
around with you and let you be seen
without any of your clothing
on so when you drive around town you
normally don't wear your clerical
clothing are there more and more clerics
recently taking their clothes off given
the amount of backlash and the amount of
anger towards you
guys I mean obviously you get to choose
whether you put on or take off your
clerical clothing right women don't get
to choose in fact a lot of women are
very angry that it's clerics like
yourself who are dictating what women
should and shouldn't wear why is
that
some of the protesters have called for
an end to the clerical establishment
which is you guys right how does that
make you
feel
[Music]
foree
the cler says he supports reforms which
shows a division of opinions within the
religious Elite but he ultimately warns
against a complete overhaul of the
current
system so these young kids here who are
about to perform have been trained by
the guy in the white shirt who's a
member of the besiege which is part of
the security apparatus they have been
extremely involved in the brutal
Crackdown of protesters and part of
their mission is to train young
kids to get to know Islam to get to know
how to operate in Iran in the hopes that
this country can continue in the vein
that it's going
today
masah
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
m
what does it mean to be a
b how do you recruit all these
[Music]
[Music]
kids is the hope that these guys grow up
to to become
[Music]
beses do any of you guys plan to be
members of the B when you grow
up
[Music]
why these Young Voices show how the
Islamic Republic influences the Next
Generation but to do that successfully
any criticism of the regime must be
silenced since the latest Uprising
around a 100 journalists have been
arrested those who broke the news about
Massa amini's death was sentenced to 12
and 13 years in
prison yalda Mari is a photojournalist
who's been arrested at least six
times so when was this photo
taken 16 years ago it was at the first
days that uh Gad started to work they
wanted
to put this woman to police station to
talk with them or know sign a paper or
something but these women were very
scary about it so these are two women
being arrested for not wearing their
head scarves properly yeah
this is another one this woman is a
police officer what is she taking them
in
for for a job for bad you know wearing
and these things so
for improper
clothing I recognize this photo I've
seen it around when was this photo taken
5 years ago and what was happening here
it was a
demonstration in Tan University this is
inside the University
and she's a
protester yeah this has changed my life
forever so this photo that was taken
years ago is still causing you problems
today yeah a lot
of they have problems with the
journalistic issues they have problems
with everything that you want to inform
people um they are against all of this
mhm they are against media they are you
know against people know their reality
they are against the
reality so these are the documents that
you have from your court
cases so the case is open yeah the case
is open uh-huh and it it's not going to
be closed for another 5 years no no so
you're under watch basically yeah this
is exactly what they wanted what was
your crime taking picture just taking
photos yeah but you know what they wrote
on the paper
was and how long did you spend in prison
this time around uh 92 days 92 60 days
in
public uh prison and 32 days in Solarity
solitary confinement how was
that it was very tough you think that
you are really going to be
mad yeah there is nothing
there nobody's
there what kind of thoughts were you
having it was like a hell I really
wanted to kill
myself do you think there will be
consequ consquences for you in talking
to
us y m put on a brave face but the
system she's up against is a well-oiled
machine we requested multiple interviews
with senior members of President Ibrahim
ri's government eventually we were
granted a meeting with one of his vice
presidents as the only female member of
the current government n kazali is the
Minister of women's
Affairs there are pretty strict laws in
place including the hijab law why is
that necessary why can't women have that
freedom of choice
amini who's a 22y old woman who was
taken in by the morality police for
having too much of her hair showing and
later died in police custody was killed
by the authorities is that not something
that you
[Music]
admit
for after mounting pressure the
authorities released a clipped CCTV
video showing Masa amini collapsing in
the Detention Center proof they say that
she died from a heart attack but amini's
family say she had no pre-existing heart
conditions and Witnesses reportedly saw
her being badly beaten just before this
the only investigation to have come out
of this was done by The Authority
themselves which is I mean essentially
like a murderer investigating
themselves
yes I think the the problem is that the
only people who have actually done any
investigation is
yourself isn't it hypocritical of you
that you claim to be representing
women's rights and yet Your Role is
really part of this repression against
them
well it's very difficult to know because
this is not a democracy and therefore
the figures are extremely hard to know
but I would say that you know this seems
like the biggest challenge or one of the
biggest challenges to the Islamic regime
in the last few
decades I know that you know that the
scale of what's happened here is
enormous it is one of the biggest
challenges to the Islamic Republic over
the last few decades
does it not make you think for a moment
that you know maybe some of your ideas
could be outdated and that that are you
know a lot of young people in Iran who
who do want to see
[Music]
change
in response to these protests there has
been a brutal widespread Crackdown
that's been pretty Relentless there's
been tens of thousands of protesters
arrested according to the state figures
there's also been hundreds that have
been beaten and tortured hundreds more
who have been killed there's reports of
sexual assault within the prisons
themselves
several protesters have been executed
several more are sitting on death row
why why such a brutal
Crackdown okay it seems like we're
talking from polar opposite realities I
guess you know this is one of the
hardest places I've ever worked as a
journalist you know we are followed
everywhere the police stop us from
talking to anyone a lot of other people
are terrified to speak with us as they
rightly should be why are you making it
so difficult for journalists to report
the
truth just one day after our
conversation with the vice president was
when we found our van suddenly
surrounded by a team of Iran's Security
Forces a gun was held to our head and
everything was taken from
us later that night while in detention
they told us they suspected we were
working under false
pretenses the next day we were
instructed to leave the
country it was an Abrupt end to our time
in Iran a stark reminder that freedom
and Truth are so far from reach here and
that the regime's power and
vulnerability lies in their ability to
silence voices most disturbingly of
their own
people since we left the country Iran's
Parliament has passed a new hijab Bill
where those dressed inappropriately now
face up to 10 years in prison Iran's
Infamous morality police are reportedly
back on the
streets just recently 16-year-old gavand
died from the same afflictions as Masa
amini just one year
later
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