Etterbeek square to be named after Mahsa Amini, victim of Iranian morality police

Etterbeek has decided to name the square in front of its city hall after Mahsa Amini, reports RTBF. It follows an initiative by the municipality’s social action alderwoman, Maryam Matin Far, who’s originally from Iran.

Amini is the 22-year-old Kurdish woman who died in police custody in Tehran on 16 September. She had been arrested by the Guidance Patrol, the religious morality police of Iran’s government, reportedly because she wasn’t wearing her hijab properly. She suffered seizures and fell  into a coma at the police station before being taken to hospital.

Her death immediately sparked a wave of protests across Iran, where women have been taking off their hijab in defiance. Some have also been cutting off their hair, an act that’s forbidden by some Islamic authorities. The protests led to a fierce response from the government, which is trying to regain control of the population in several cities.

The Brussels square is due to be named in the coming weeks in remembrance of Amini, whose fight for freedom has inspired millions of women in Iran and around the world.