Angelina Jolie joins hands with those demanding freedom for Iranian women following the death of Mahsa Amini, who died two weeks ago in police custody.
The actress shared a post on her Instagram, saying Iranian women needed “freedom to live and breathe without violence or threats.”
Jolie’s impassioned appeal comes two weeks after the death of Mahsa Amini. The 22-year-old woman was detained in Tehran by the country’s morality police– having been arrested for wearing her hijab too loosely. Amini’s family alleges that she was beaten by police, something denied by the state, saying Amini had a heart attack.
Since then, protests have taken course across Iran, with a few women cutting their hair and burning their hijabs. So far, several deaths and injuries have been reported as security forces try to suppress the peaceful protests. There have also been reports that Iranian officials have blocked certain social media and websites.
Smaller but similarly motivated protests and vigils in the wake of Amini’s death have spread worldwide — including in the United States.