Pope Francis answered questions from reporters aboard the papal plane on November 6 after his recent four-day trip to Bahrain.
One of the questions asked was about Mahsa Amini, whose death sparked an outcry in Iran and worldwide, and whether the Pope supported the protests in the country.
Iran's morality police detained 22-year-old Mahsa Amini for not wearing her hijab “properly.” She died in police custody, causing massive demonstrations across the Islamic Republic and other countries.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, and Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi blamed the nationwide protest for the death of 15 Shia Muslims during an attack on a mosque during worship hours.
The attack happened on the evening of October 26. According to state-run media, the attacker open-fired on worshipers at the Shah Cheragh Shrine in Shiraz. More than 40 victims were injured, while 15 were confirmed dead.
Teachers and students from multiple religious schools in Iran are challenging Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's leadership over the crimes committed by his administration.
A group of students and teachers from seminary schools in Qom, Mashhad, and Tehran said Khamenei's guardianship is no longer valid.
The Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran handed down a verdict of more than three years to an Iranian women's rights activist for protesting the hijab.
Twenty-two-year-old Melika Qaragozlu has been sentenced to three years and eight months in jail and fined 8 million tomans (US$ 246.59) for protesting against the mandatory hijab rules of the country.
Sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini at the hands of the “morality police” on September 16, and despite an internet shutdown, widespread protests continue throughout Iran.
Tehran legislator Mahmoud Nabavian calls the protests “riots” and says women that take off the mandatory headscarves are out to “prostitute themselves.” State media have made similar statements, calling the protesters “hypocrites, rioters, thugs, and seditionists.”
A 22-year-old Iranian woman has died after falling into a coma following her arrest and detention by Iran’s morality police.
The Morality Police, a branch of Iran’s Law Enforcement Command that patrols the streets enforcing the hijab mandate, arrested Mahsa Amini on September 13.
