A solidarity strike for Balochistan took place in Eastern Kurdistan on Wednesday. The occasion was the 40th day after the "bloody Friday" in Zahedan in the province of Sistan, Balochistan. On 30 September, many people in the city in southern Iran had poured into the streets after Friday prayers to protest the rape of a 15-year-old girl by a policeman. Security forces responded with brutal force, and according to human rights organisations, 92 people were killed, most by gunfire. The riot in Zahedan had broken out two weeks after the murder of Kurdish woman Jina Mahsa Amini by the morality police in Tehran.

Tradesmen in many towns took part in the strike in Eastern Kurdistan. In Sine (Sanandaj), Mariwan, Bane, Seqîz (Saqqez), Mahabad and Bokan, most shops remained closed. Street protests took place from noon to evening.

People also took to the streets in solidarity with Zahedan in many other cities in Iran, such as Tabriz, Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan, and other places. People lit candles in memory of the dead, built fires in the streets and chanted slogans such as "Death to the Dictator" and "Jin, Jiyan, Azadî" (Woman, Life, Freedom).

In addition, more and more artists, activists, intellectuals, athletes and academics are showing solidarity with the ongoing protests. The actress Taraneh Alidoosti has expressed her solidarity with the protests in the country on Instagram. In a post on Wednesday, the 38-year-old published a photo without a headscarf, holding a poster with the Kurdish slogan "Jin, Jiyan, Azadî" into the camera. The 38-year-old is considered one of Iran's most famous actresses.

"Jina was a strong and freedom-loving woman"

Jina Amini's cousin spoke to RojNews about the state's attempts to cover up the murder with various scenarios. Irfan Murtezayi, who lives in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, said the uprising is an expression of 43 years of pent-up anger against the Islamic Republic of Iran: "As relatives of Jina, we are proud that she has become the symbol of this uprising."

Since her murder, Jina Amini's family has been subjected to extreme pressure and her house in Saqez has been under round-the-clock surveillance, Murtezayi said: "The Iranian regime is trying to portray Jina as a political figure and associate her with political parties in Eastern Kurdistan. However, Jina had no contact with any political party at all. However, she was a strong and freedom-loving woman, an open and determined personality."

Hundreds killed since protests began

Since the beginning of the protests in Iran, hundreds of people have been killed. The figures given by human rights organisations and opposition activists vary between 200 and 550 dead. It is assumed that tens of thousands of people have been arrested or detained. Some sources even speak of up to 30,000 arrests. Since the means of communication in Iran are still restricted and independent media are not allowed, the actual numbers can hardly be ascertained.

15 women journalists arrested

Dozens of journalists are among those arrested. According to Reporters Without Borders, the number of arrests of women journalists has risen sharply. According to the report, 42 journalists have been arrested since 16 September. Eight have been released, while the others, including 15 women, remain in custody.