Vida Movahed steps onto a utility box on Tehran's Revolution Street, and holds her white headscarf on a stick. It's a radical act that is then followed by dozens of women across Iran, many posted to social media.
Iran-based rapper Toomaj Salehi releases his radical track "Soorakh Moosh" (Rathole), which portends regime change - it sets the tone for the mood to come and turns him into one of the Islamic Republic's fiercest and most visible opponents.
Sepideh Rashnu was detained for resisting state-imposed religious dress. On July 16, 2022, authorities arrested Rashnu following an altercation on a bus between a woman, who was enforcing the state's policy of mandatory religious head coverings in public, and Rashnu, who was believed to have not been wearing a head covering "properly." Rashnu was reportedly assaulted during the altercation.
Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman, was arrested by the morality police for allegedly wearing her hijab improperly.
Amini dies in custody. Reports of police brutality spark national outrage.
Protests spread across Iran, with women burning their hijabs and cutting their hair in defiance of oppressive laws. - Strikes and demonstrations are particularly prominent in universities and schools. - State Response: The Iranian government uses violence, mass arrests, and internet shutdowns to suppress protests. By late 2022, hundreds of protesters are killed, and thousands are detained. - International Attention: Global protests and solidarity marches are held, and Mahsa Amini's name becomes synonymous with the fight for women’s rights.
Protests erupt during Mahsa Jina Amini's funeral in Saqqez, with women removing their headscarves and chanting “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi” (Woman, Life, Freedom), a slogan that originated in Kurdish feminism.
Nika Shakarami, only 16, disappears after she joins protests. Her body is found 9 days later. She becomes an WLF icon, symbolizing a youth seeking greater freedoms & brighter futures. Later it is revealed that security forces abused and killed her.
Authorities arrest and imprison the reporter & photographer who broke Mahsa Jina Amini's story
Teenage v-logger Sarina Esmailzadeh is killed while protesting in Karaj. Her videos go viral and she becomes an WLF icon.
“Baraye,” the anthem of Iran’s “Woman, Life, Liberty” protest movement—a song woven together entirely from a Twitter hashtag trend in which Iranians express their investment in the current protests— unites Iranians in their opposition to the Islamic Republic.
Iranian security forces use unlawful lethal force, killing and wounding several dozen protesters in Zahedan, killing the most people during the protests on a day called “Bloody Friday.”
October 2022: Demonstrations in solidarity with Iranian women occurred worldwide, supported by global leaders, celebrities, and activists.
Following his track releases & engagement in the protests, Salehi is arrested by security forces
Iran police chief says Ershad is off the streets, without giving too much explanation
Iran executes Mohsen Shakeri, a 22-year-old Iranian man convicted of injuring a member of Iran's Basij militia and accused of Moharebeh, "waging war against God."
"Baraye," the anthem of WLF, wins the first-ever Grammy in the "Best Song for Social Change" category; the grammy is handed out by First Lady Jill Biden.
Narges Mohammadi, a prominent Iranian human rights activist and long-time critic of Iran’s authoritarian regime, is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Mohammadi had been imprisoned multiple times for her activism, including her advocacy for women's rights and opposition to the death penalty. The Nobel Committee praised her "unwavering fight for women’s rights and freedom in Iran," recognizing her as a symbol of the broader "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement. The award amplified global awareness of the Iranian struggle for justice and human rights, highlighting the resilience of activists like Mohammadi.
In another radical act, Toomaj Salehi publishes a video soon after he is released from more than a year of imprisonment to reveal details of his interrogation and torture.
Iran's Majles passes strict Hijab and Chastity law that punishes women with long prison sentences, hefty fines, and travel bans
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