From Amsterdam to Athens: Protests intensify worldwide over death of Iranian woman Mahsa Amini

Protests in Iran following the death of a young woman arrested by morality police could signal "a big change", according to Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, director of Oslo-based NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR).

Public anger has flared in Iran and some other parts of the world since authorities in the Islamic Republic announced the death of a young woman arrested by morality police. Last week, authorities announced death of a 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who had been held for allegedly wearing a hijab headscarf in an "improper" way. 

According to Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, director of Oslo-based NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR), protests in Iran could signal "a big change". 

Dozens of protesters rallied in Amsterdam on September 21 over the death of a woman in police custody in Iran.

Most of those who attended the demonstration in the Dutch capital were Iranians living in the Netherlands and students living in the city.

Members of the Iranian community and leftist groups scuffled with police outside the Iranian embassy in Athens on September 22 during a demonstration. 

Angry protesters confronted, argued and pushed against riot police as they tried to approach closer to the embassy, being forced back by police officers yeilding shields.

Women hold a picture of Mahsa Amini during a sit-in following her death, at Martyrs' Square in Beirut, Lebanon. 

Amiry-Moghaddam said, "What we know for sure -- and what also the authorities have admitted -- is that Mahsa was arrested by morality police." He added that according to her family, she was healthy at the time of her arrest. 

"Some hours later, she was transferred to hospital in coma. So regardless of what happened, this is a responsibility of the Iranian authorities and the morality police," the director of the rights group said. 

The IHR believes "the evidence shows that she was subjected to very harsh violence, and that's only because the authorities say that she hadn't covered herself", Amiry-Moghaddam added. 

Videos posted on social media have shown some women demonstrators defiantly taking off their hijabs and burning them on bonfires. "The hijab has become a symbol for the Islamic Republic and that's why... we saw many pictures of girls taking off their hijab and burning it," Amiry-Moghaddam explained. 

"It's not because they have a problem with the piece of clothing but because it symbolises the suppression (sic) they have been subjected to in 43 years," he said.