Why is Iran's TikTok generation demanding 'Women, Life, Freedom'? - BBC News

Summary

The death of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Masa Amini in Iran has ignited unprecedented protests across the country, driven by Iran's young TikTok generation. Detained by the morality police for allegedly wearing 'revealing' clothes, Amini's death has become a symbol of resistance against the Islamic regime. The protests, characterized by the slogan 'Women, Life, Freedom,' have spread globally. Despite harsh crackdowns by security forces, the movement continues, with Iranian women and their supporters demanding an end to compulsory hijab and oppressive laws. The protests mark a significant challenge to the Islamic Republic's four-decade-long rule.

Takeaways

• 🔥 The death of a young Kurdish woman, Masa Amini, sparked widespread and unprecedented protests across Iran due to her alleged mistreatment by the morality police.
• 👮‍♀️ The morality police in Iran enforce a strict Islamic dress code on women, which led to Masa Amini's detention and subsequent death.
• 📹 There is controversy surrounding the circumstances of Masa's death, with the police claiming no wrongdoing and her family alleging police brutality.
• 🌍 The protests have gained international attention and support, with the slogan 'Women, life, freedom' spreading globally.
• 📢 Iranian women have been fighting against compulsory hijab and oppressive rules for decades, with various campaigns and movements emerging over time.
• 👥 The current protests are notable for the involvement of a younger generation, including high school girls, who are boldly challenging the status quo.
• 🏢 The Iranian government has responded to the protests with force, with security forces cracking down and making arrests, including of influential figures who have spoken out.
• 📽️ Despite state media censorship, social media has played a crucial role in sharing information and rallying support for the protests, both within Iran and internationally.
• 🚫 The Iranian regime has shown no signs of compromise, with the supreme leader blaming foreign governments for the unrest.
• 👩‍🦰 Kurdish women have historically been at the forefront of resistance against patriarchal and oppressive regimes in Iran, contributing significantly to the ongoing movement.
• 🌐 The slogan 'Women, life, freedom' originated from Kurdish resistance in Turkey and has been adopted by Iranian protesters to signify a broader fight against patriarchy and for human rights.

Q & A

What sparked the recent protests in Iran?

The death of a young Kurdish woman, Masa Amini, after being detained by the morality police for allegedly wearing revealing clothes, sparked unprecedented protests across the country.

What is the role of the morality police in Iran?

The morality police in Iran are tasked with enforcing the strict Islamic dress code on women in public, which includes wearing a headscarf and adhering to conservative clothing standards.

How did the BBC obtain footage and information from inside Iran?

Since the BBC can't operate freely in Iran, they rely on people sending them videos and information from inside the country.

What is the significance of the slogan 'women life freedom' in the context of these protests?

The slogan 'women life freedom' has spread across the country and the world, symbolizing the struggle for women's rights and resistance against the Islamic regime's strict rules imposed on women.

What happened to Masa Amini after she was taken to the police station?

Masa Amini collapsed in the police station and was later transferred to a hospital, where she was declared brain dead, fell into a coma, and was pronounced dead three days later.

How did the Iranian government explain Masa Amini's death?

Iran's police chief claimed that Masa Amini fell into a coma due to a heart condition, but this account was disputed by her family and eyewitnesses.

What was the response of the Iranian Security Forces to the protests?

The Iranian Security Forces cracked down on the protesters, using threats, intimidation, and force, but the protesters have not backed down.

What is the historical context of women's rights struggles in Iran?

The struggle for women's rights in Iran dates back to the Islamic Revolution in 1979, when compulsory hijab and other strict rules for women were imposed, leading to ongoing protests and campaigns against these restrictions.

How have Iranian women activists used social media to promote their cause?

Iranian women activists have used social media platforms to launch campaigns against compulsory hijab, such as 'White Wednesdays,' sharing their messages and experiences to raise awareness and solidarity.

What is the significance of the 'White Wednesdays' campaign?

The 'White Wednesdays' campaign is a form of civil disobedience where participants wear a white symbol or wave a white flag in public to protest against compulsory hijab and to identify with others who oppose it.

How have international celebrities shown solidarity with the Iranian protesters?

International celebrities have shown solidarity by cutting their hair, an ancient act symbolic in Iran of mourning and loss, and participating in protests around the world.

What is the origin of the slogan 'women life freedom'?

The slogan 'women life freedom' was first used by Kurdish women resisting the Turkish state in Turkey in the late 1980s and later by Kurdish women against ISIS, and it has now been adopted by Iranian protesters.

What has been the impact of the protests on the younger generation in Iran?

The younger generation, including high school girls, has been at the forefront of the protests, daring to challenge the compulsory hijab rules and expressing their resistance through social media and public demonstrations.

How have Iranian authorities responded to the death of protesters like Nika Shakaremi?

Iranian authorities have often denied that the deaths were caused by the protests, offering alternative explanations such as suicide or accidents, and have sometimes used state media to broadcast forced confessions or narratives that support their version of events.

What is the potential significance of these protests for the future of Iran?

While there is no clarity yet on the outcome, these protests are seen as a turning point for Iranian women and a tipping point for the Islamic Republic, potentially moving Iran towards a more democratic future.

Outlines

00:00

🚨 Unprecedented Protests in Iran Over Women's Rights 🚨

The death of a young Kurdish woman, Masa Amini, in Iran has ignited nationwide protests against the Islamic regime's strict dress code for women. Despite security forces' crackdowns, protesters, including Iran's Tik-Tok generation, remain undeterred. The BBC relies on videos sent from inside Iran to report on the situation. The protests, which have gained international attention, are the latest in Iran's ongoing struggle for women's rights, with the slogan 'women life freedom' spreading globally.

05:01

🌍 Spreading the Flame of Feminism Across Iran 🌍

The protests in Iran have been fueled by the death of Masa Amini, whose case has become a symbol of resistance against religious dictatorship. Women are removing their headscarves in a show of civil disobedience, and the movement has resonated with high school girls who are now openly challenging the compulsory hijab rules imposed since the Islamic revolution 40 years ago. Iran's supreme leader has blamed foreign governments for the unrest, but the opposition to the hijab is deeply rooted in the country's history.

10:09

🔥 A History of Defiance: Women's Rights Activism in Iran 🔥

The struggle against compulsory hijab in Iran dates back to the early days of the Islamic revolution. Women have been fighting against these rules for decades, with campaigns like 'one million signatures' aiming to change discriminatory laws. Activists, both within Iran and in exile, have used the internet and social media to amplify their message and organize protests, despite facing severe repercussions including arrests and forced exile.

15:10

📢 Voices of Solidarity: Breaking Through Censorship 📢

Influential Iranian figures, including footballers, actors, scholars, and singers, have used social media to express support for the protests and break through state media censorship. The song composed by Shervin Hajipur, using people's tweets, became a symbol of resistance and went viral despite his arrest. The global diaspora of Iranian communities has also rallied in support, with large protests taking place in cities around the world.

20:13

🌈 The Power of a Slogan: Women, Life, Freedom 🌈

The slogan 'women life freedom' has a rich history, originating from Kurdish women's resistance against oppressive regimes. It has been adopted by Iran's Tik-Tok generation, who are leading the current protests. This generation, born and educated after the revolution, is using social media to voice their opposition to the Islamic Republic's patriarchal foundations and to advocate for a democratic future.

25:15

💔 The Tragic Cost of Protest: Lives Lost in the Struggle 💔

The protests have come at a high cost, with over 200 people killed, including many teenagers. The deaths of Serena Smizada and Nika Shakaremi have further fueled public anger. Despite official narratives attempting to downplay or discredit these incidents, the families and supporters of the victims have bravely refuted these claims, continuing to fight for justice and freedom.

⚖️ A Turning Point for Iran: The Future Remains Uncertain ⚖️

While the Islamic Republic of Iran has faced numerous protests in the past, the current movement feels distinct, with a new generation leading the charge for change. The outcome remains unclear, but the protests have opened a door for potential democratic progress, regardless of the immediate results.

Keywords

💡Protests

Protests are public demonstrations expressing objection or support for a cause. In the video, protests are sparked by the death of a young Kurdish woman in Iran, leading to a widespread outcry against the Islamic regime's policies, particularly its enforcement of strict Islamic dress codes for women. The script mentions 'unprecedented protests' and 'the biggest demonstrations' as indicators of the intensity and scale of the public's reaction.

💡Moral Police

The Moral Police in Iran are a law enforcement body tasked with ensuring adherence to the country's strict Islamic dress code for women. The script recounts an incident where a young woman, Masa Amini, was detained by the Moral Police for 'revealing' clothing, leading to her death, which catalyzed the nationwide protests.

💡Islamic Regime

The Islamic Regime refers to the government of Iran, which is based on Islamic law and principles. The video discusses the regime's enforcement of strict dress codes and the resulting protests, indicating a deep-seated conflict between the state's religious policies and the desires for personal freedom among its citizens.

💡Women's Rights

Women's Rights are the rights and entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide, focusing on equality and justice. The video highlights the struggle for women's rights in Iran, particularly in the context of compulsory hijab laws, and the protests that have emerged as a response to these restrictions.

💡Civil Disobedience

Civil Disobedience is the refusal to obey certain laws or government demands as a peaceful form of protest. In the script, instances of civil disobedience are depicted through women removing their headscarves in public, symbolizing their resistance to the compulsory hijab laws.

💡Hijab

Hijab refers to the head covering worn by Muslim women as a symbol of modesty and privacy. The script discusses the compulsory hijab as a contentious issue in Iran, with the protests highlighting the desire for women to have the freedom to choose whether or not to wear it.

💡Tick-Tock Generation

The Tick-Tock Generation refers to young people who are active on social media platforms like TikTok. The video script notes that this generation is at the forefront of the protests in Iran, using social media to voice their opposition to the Islamic regime's policies.

💡Slogan

A Slogan is a brief, striking phrase that encapsulates the essence of a movement or idea. The script mentions 'women life freedom' as the slogan for the protests, which has resonated globally and become a rallying cry for the movement against the Islamic regime's policies.

💡Diaspora

Diaspora refers to a community of people who have left their homeland and live in other countries. The script describes how Iranian communities around the world have rallied in support of the protests, showing solidarity with the cause and contributing to the international visibility of the movement.

💡State Media Censorship

State Media Censorship is the control or suppression of media content by the state, often to prevent the dissemination of information that could be critical of the government. The video script mentions that influential Iranian figures have used social media to bypass state media censorship and express their support for the protests.

💡Turning Point

A Turning Point is a moment or event that leads to a significant change in a situation or course of action. The script suggests that the death of young protesters like Nika Shakaremi has become a turning point in the movement, intensifying the public's anger and resolve against the regime.

Highlights

The death of a young Kurdish woman, Masa Amini, sparked unprecedented protests across Iran.

Security forces cracked down on the protests, but protesters have not backed down even after weeks.

The BBC relies on videos sent from inside Iran due to restrictions on operating freely there.

Iran's young TikTok generation is at the forefront of challenging the Islamic regime.

The slogan 'women life freedom' has spread across Iran and the world, symbolizing the struggle for women's rights.

Masa Amini's death was followed by an incident at a police station, where she was detained for 'revealing' clothing.

Masa's father claims eyewitnesses saw the morality police beat her, contradicting the government's account.

The Islamic Republic enforces strict rules on women's attire, leading to confrontations and violence.

Mass protests and acts of civil disobedience, such as women removing their scarves, occurred at Masa's funeral.

The protests have spread rapidly, with high school girls daring to challenge compulsory hijab rules.

Iran's supreme leader blamed foreign governments for the protests, dismissing the domestic outcry.

The first protest against compulsory hijab took place in Tehran less than a month after the 1979 revolution.

Activists like Mansura launched campaigns like 'one million signatures' to change discriminatory laws against women.

The development of the internet in Iran facilitated communication among activists and the spread of their campaigns.

Influential Iranian figures and international celebrities have used social media to support the protests and break through censorship.

The slogan 'women life freedom' originated from Kurdish women resisting the Turkish state in the 1980s.

Iranian Kurdish women have been fighting against patriarchal society and played a significant role in opposing the Islamic Republic.

The current protests are seen as a revolution led by Iranian women, demanding dignity and freedom.

The Islamic Republic has faced numerous protests, but the current situation feels different, with an uncertain outcome.

Transcripts

the death of a young Kurdish woman in

Iran has a sparked unprecedented

protests across the country

security forces have cracked down but

weeks on there is no sign of the

protesters backing down

some of the biggest demonstrations so

far took place 40 days after Masa amini

died

the BBC can't operate freely in Iran so

we rely on people sending us videos from

inside the country

[Music]

this time Iran's young Tick-Tock

generation are at the Forefront of this

challenge to the Islamic regime

it's the latest in a long struggle for

women's rights in Iran

so why this time has the slogan for

these protests women life freedom spread

across the country and the world

[Music]

in early September Masa Gina amini a 22

year old woman and her younger brother

travel from

City in Western Iran to visit the

capital city Tehran for the first time

but their Journey takes an ominous turn

as soon as they get out of the metro

station Massa faces the morality police

a force tasked with enforcing this

strict Islamic dress code on women in

public

masa's clothes are deemed revealing

um

is detained and taken to a police

station in Tehran an hour later Masa

complains about something to a female

police officer this CCTV footage shows

the moment she collapses in the police

station

by the time she's transferred to a

hospital she is brain dead and falls

into a coma

hello

three days later Masa is pronounced dead

the news of her death outrages many

across the country

security forces the spirits a crowd

gathered in front of the hospital

Iran's police chief says Masa fell into

a coma

because of a hard conditions

the morality police usually wear body

cameras

but they say they didn't on that day

the police van had CCTV cameras no

recordings have been made available

masa's father says eyewitnesses have

told him the morality police beat Masa

up in the van

despite threats and intimidation by the

security forces masa's father refuses to

remain silent in an interview with BBC

Persian he says the government's account

is totally false events

the Islamic Republic has strict rules on

what women were in public

the morality police have been enforcing

those rules for four decades

their confrontations with young women on

many occasions have led to verbal abuse

and physical violence

[Music]

anger against the strict Islamic rules

imposed on women was expressed at

massa's funeral in the Symmetry in the

Kurdish city of surplus

blah

[Music]

[Music]

everybody

[Applause]

we saw that in the cemetery women are

throwing their scarves it was as if for

the first time the entire Society was

receiving women showing this act of

Civil Disobedience it has taken a long

time for women to achieve what they

achieved at that moment they have gone

beyond their fear to communicate with

their society and I think that was a

turning point in in the feminist

movement in Iran

everybody

Freedom the words chanted by protesters

at massa's funeral struck a chord in

every corner of Iran before long

protests had spread like wildfire across

the country

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

they killed my soul for just a bit of

her

just for a little bit of her hair was

visible you know but now what's going on

in Iran women removing their job

completely because Masa is not dead for

Iranian women she's becoming a symbol of

resistance against religious dictators

[Music]

thank you

foreign

compulsory hijab and stroke rules and

women were imposed under the Islamic

revolution 40 years ago now even high

school girls are daring to challenge

removing their headscarves and chanting

death to the dictator in front of their

schools something unprecedented and

unimaginable just a few weeks ago

[Applause]

[Music]

there is

I thought

but there is no sign that the Islamic

leadership is thinking of compromise

in his first response to the protest

Iran's supreme leader blamed foreign

governments

[Music]

charge

foreign

foreign

forces were sent out onto the streets in

force

but opposition to compulsory hijab in

Iran is not new many women have been

fighting it since the early days of the

Islamic revolution in 1979

foreign

[Music]

participated in the revolution to remove

the Shah but for many of them the

celebration was short lived the leader

of the Islamic revolution

called for imposing Islamic rule on

women

many unveiled women were attacked

US foreign

that's my daughter is oh yeah

less than a month after the revolution

the first protest against compulsory

hijab took place in Tehran

[Music]

um

is determined to see an Islamic State at

all cost

the sectors who oppose extremist Islamic

beliefs

prevailed

Islamic rules imposed on women became

one of the main pillars of the regime

how you will understand that this is

Islamic country through us the women

because the Islamic Republic make us to

carry their ideology on our body

basically hijab is not a choice for us

[Music]

but Iranian women have kept fighting

is an Iranian woman's rights activist

now she lives in Exile in The Hague the

Netherlands

2006 Mansura and a group of women in

Iran started a campaign called one

million signatures the campaign sought

to change discriminatory laws against

women

is

most of the women behind the campaign

were arrested or exiled but a new

generation of activists went online

with the development of the internet in

Iran communicating with young Iranian

women became easier

an Iranian activist exiled in the U.S

used social media to promote her

campaigns against compulsory hijab look

at this

colorful hair this is the hair

Revolution

my stealthy Freedom my camera is my

weapon and white Wednesdays are some of

her campaigns against compulsory hijab

[Music]

eight years ago I launched a campaign

against compulsory hijab I picked a

color white I picked a day Wednesday

because I wanted people who do not

believe in a job to identify each other

in public people took to the streets

practicing their Civil Disobedience

while wearing a white symbol or waving

white symbol in public

one of the women responding to the white

Wednesday's campaign was yosemin Arya

active Defiance against Force hijab

yasamin filled herself without a hijab

on the streets of tehrano

this act was a crime in the eyes of the

Islamic Republic yasamin was arrested in

2019 and sentenced to five years in

prison

the founder of the campaign was an

immune even in the U.S

at has been in the crosshairs of the

Iranian Security Forces

in 2021 the FBI foiled a plot to kidnap

her in New York

but the Iranian government has denied

that it was involved

if it was not the FBI stopping the

kidnapping plot

I would have been in Iran now executed

the FBA actually arrested a man with a

loaded gun in front of my house in

Brooklyn

maybe they're scared of my hair I don't

know I don't know why they're scared of

me

like Messi during the latest protests

many influential Iranian figures have

used social media to break through State

media censorship

from footballers to actors from Scholars

to singers they have expressed their

support

even on you yeah

in this clip songwriter shervin hajipur

uses the wording from people's tweets to

compose a song about why the Islamic

Republic should no longer exist

Iranian Security Forces arrested sharvin

immediately but it was too late

his song had already gone viral

singers in Iran and around the world

covered his song

just to get some sleep For All Mankind

in our country for all the boys and

girls

[Music]

it wasn't only the song that crossed

borders the slogan of the protest women

life Freedom also went around the world

in solidarity with the protesters many

International celebrities cut their hair

an ancient act symbolic in Iran of

mourning and loss

[Music]

Iranian communities in the diaspora have

been moved to protest

many have rallied in support in cities

around the world

[Music]

um

tens of thousands of Iranians have

traveled from all over Europe to be here

in Berlin it is the largest protest ever

by the Iranian diaspora people from all

walks of life and different ethnicities

United as never before to support the

protest inside Iran people repeatedly

shouting this slogan

Azadi woman life Frida so how did the

slogan began

the motto woman life liberty first was

used by the Kurdish woman resisting

against the Turkish estate in Turkey

towards the end of 1980s and later it

was used by resistance of Kurdish women

against the Isis the motto itself is

very generative it is supposed to

empower people

for the last 40 years Iranian Kurdish

women have fought against their

male-dominated society

and played a significant role in

activities opposing the Islamic Republic

[Applause]

the Kurdish context from which it Rose

it is not thinking about women's Freedom

as a mere legal issue or a matter of

mandatory hijab or those kind of things

it is actually addressing all the

patriarchal foundations of our society

[Music]

this time the slogan women life Freedom

has been picked up especially by Iran's

Tick-Tock generation a generation born

long after the Revolution and educated

in the Islamic Republic system

no she has

um

foreign

[Music]

this young woman is typical of the way

her generation are speaking out

here

[Music]

[Music]

this is 16 year old Serena smizada at

first glance she looks like any Western

girl

well connected to social media and

posting videos on YouTube

but she lived in gohar dash near Tehran

Serena died during the protests Amnesty

International says the security forces

beat her head with sticks

the authorities say she committed

suicide

since the protest began more than 200

people have been killed at least 20 of

them have been teenagers

another of the victims was Nika

shakaremi

[Applause]

[Music]

Nico was 16. here she's singing for her

friends

after the death of Masa she joined a

protest near her home in Tehran

the last message she sent to her friends

was I'm running I am being chased by

Security Forces then she disappeared

ten days later her mother found her body

in a morgue

her family planned to bury her in their

hometown of Hora Mobile in Western Iran

the funeral fell on her 17th birthday

Mika's mother gathered with thousands of

people in the cemetery for her burial

but her body never arrived

as news filtered through mourners in the

cemetery were enraged and started

chanting death to the dictator

Security Forces responded with tear gas

buttons and bird shots

questions

and an uncle were taken into custody for

publicizing her death

the authorities insisted that Nika was

not killed in the protest and the cause

of her death was falling from a height

prove this Nika's grieving aunt was

filmed explaining how Nica fell from a

building it was shown on the state TV

State TV has a history of broadcasting

forced confessions of political

prisoners gained under pressure and

torture is

BBC Persian obtained a video showing a

young girl burning her head scarf in the

exact location from where Nika last

called her friend

family confirmed the girl in the video

was Nika

despite threats and intimidation Nika's

mother in a video refuted the

Authority's account of Nico's death

uh

[Music]

[Music]

the death of young people like Nika

fuels the anger against the regime but

the Islamic Republic leaders have vowed

to deal with protesters

decisively's tragic death is becoming a

turning point for Iranian women and it

is a Tipping Point for the Islamic

Republic women are tired of being

second-class citizen they want to have

dignity and freedom and now

this is a Revolution being led by

Iranian women alongside men supporting

them

um

demo

foreign

actually moved towards a democratic

future so regardless of whether or not

this round of protests are gonna reach

any immediate result at least have

opened the right door this time

then do not push do not pushes

the Islamic Republic of Iran has faced a

number of serious protests in the past

40 years this time it feels different

but there is no Clarity yet on the

outcome

[Music]