Still, protests have spread to dozens of cities, drawing broad segments of Iranian society, from schoolgirls to oil workers.Ī woman holds a placard with a picture of Iranian woman Mahsa Amini during a protest against her death, in Berlin, Germany, September 28, 2022. There have been widespread arrests, dozens have died and many more wounded. Their support has helped invigorate protesters struggling with widespread internet outages that limit their ability to have their voices heard and facing a brutal government crackdown. “Celebrities - be it athletes, actors, singers or artists - have a large following inside Iran, particularly on social media, and their support gives life to these protests,” she said. Holly Dagres, an Iranian-American non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council, said the attempts to intimidate public figures were no surprise. Iran has a vibrant scene of singers and actors, as well as sports stars, who are closely followed by the public. Others were questioned and released.īut their popularity has also made it difficult to crack down too hard on them - in contrast to protest activists whom security forces have arrested in large numbers. At least seven public figures have been detained inside the country, most of whom were released on bail and could face charges, according to Iranian news outlets.
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