At least 330 dead in protests in Iran Vladimir Putin looks more and more like Joseph Stalin

Human rights activists estimate that at least 330 people have been killed in protests that have been going on for about two months in Iran. The dead included 50 minors and 39 security forces, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported Friday. Nearly 15,000 people were also arrested. The protests have hit more than 130 cities in the country since mid-September.

Meanwhile, the violent actions of Iranian security forces have once again sparked outrage in the country. In the Caspian Sea town of Rasht, police and Basij militias cracked down on a rally on Thursday, residents of the province said. A young woman is said to have been seriously injured by gunfire. In a popular pedestrian zone, especially young people celebrated with loud music and dancing. After the call to end the meeting, security forces allegedly used tear gas.

The systemic protests in Iran were triggered by the death of 22-year-old Iranian Kurd Mahsa Amini. The vice squad arrested her for not complying with the mandatory rules for wearing a headscarf. The woman died on September 16 in police custody. Since her death, thousands across the country have demonstrated against the government’s repressive course and Islamic rule system. (sda/dpa)