Iran anti-hijab protests: Former President’s daughter Faezeh Hashemi arrested for ‘inciting rioters’

Officials detained Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's daughter on Tuesday night for allegedly "inciting rioters" in Tehran. This is the most recent evidence that prominent Iranians support the protests and the government's action on them.

The report excluded mentioning Faezeh Hashemi's actions that sparked the unrest that has shaken Iran since September 16. Celebrities have joined protests in an unusual display of public support, denouncing the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, who passed away after being arrested by so-called morality police because of her clothes.

READ | 'Due to risk of terrorism': Canada cautions its citizens against traveling to THESE Indian states

Hashemi, who wears the long Islamic covering known as the chador, is a former MP and the daughter of Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a co-founder of the Islamic Republic and two-time president who died in 2017. She and the government have previously clashed over policies; she was detained following protests in 2009 and indicted this year on allegations of sacrilege and operating against the government following claims that she had insulted the Prophet Muhammad.

The most recent official statistics, which were made public on Saturday, stated that 41 people had died in the ongoing protests. Iran Human Rights, a group based in Oslo, announced on Tuesday that it has verified the deaths of 76 protesters.

READ | Florida braces for catastrophic flooding, millions evacuated: Top updates on Hurricane Ian

(With inputs from Rueters)