A Nova Scotia vigil for Mahsa Amini
Over the past week, protests have sparked across Iran after the death of a 22-year-old woman in police custody.
As Iran entered its seventh day of protest on Thursday, Nova Scotians gathered at the Halifax Grand Parade for a vigil to honour the life of Mahsa Amini.
Atousa Costandi was just one of the demonstrators paying tribute to Amini, who was arrested by Iranian morality police for allegedly failing to cover her hair, an offense officials considered “unsuitable attire.” Costandi is the secretary for the Iranian Cultural Society of Nova Scotia.
“We all have family, we all have loved ones back home in Iran and we are worried about them,” Costandi said. “There is a lot of protest going on and we want them to know that we are thinking about them.”
At least nine people have been killed in the protests, with Amnesty International recording hundreds of injuries as of Wednesday. Internet access has also been restricted across Iran in what has become the most severe restrictions since the internet was shut down completely in 2019.
Human rights advocate and Iranian-Canadian Nazanin Afshin-Jam Mackay has been advocating against Iran’s oppressive regime for nearly 20 years. Her calls for international intervention have only grown in the wake of Amini’s death.
“She’s buried six-feet deep and her mother is on top of her wailing,” Afshin-Jam Mackay said. “It really triggers your emotions and you just want to show your support and solidarity.”
Three days after her arrest, Amini was dead. While officials claim the 22-year-old died of a heart attack, Amini’s family says she was murdered in police custody.
Her death has sparked widespread protests across Iran and the rest of the world.
“We are hearing their cries and we are standing in solidarity,” Afshin-Jam Mackay said. “We understand that they want an end to this regime. They want human rights and freedoms and an end to gender apartheid.”
Afshin-Jam Mackay added that it’s time for the international community to take action.
“Heads of state and international organizations like the UN need to stop appeasing and aiding this regime to be in power,” she said.
Costandi hopes the protest sparks change, and says she won’t stop until she feels her family is safe.
With files from Hafsa Arif
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau and Harris? Poilievre and Trump? Here's who Canadians think would work best with: survey
As Americans prepare to elect their next president on Tuesday, new data from the Angus Reid Institute suggests Canadians hold differing views as to which federal party leaders would be best suited to deal with either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris.
B.C. port employers launch lockout at terminals in labour dispute with workers
Employers at British Columbia ports say they are going ahead with locking out more than 700 foremen across the province after strike activities from union members began.
Months after VRBO booking, Taylor Swift fan told home 'not available' during Vancouver concert
A frustrated Taylor Swift fan is speaking out after being pushed from a short-term rental she booked for the upcoming Vancouver leg of the superstar’s Eras Tour.
Felonies, assassination attempts and a last-minute change on the ticket leads voters to Tuesday's U.S. election
A campaign that has careened through a felony trial, incumbent being pushed off the ticket and assassination attempts comes down to Election Day on Tuesday.
Measles cases in New Brunswick more than double in three days
A measles outbreak declared in New Brunswick’s Zone 3 last week, which includes Fredericton and the upper Saint John River Valley, has more than doubled since last week.
Prison sentences handed down for sexually abusive London, Ont. parents
In handing down the sentences for two London parents, Justice Thomas Heeney told the court, "The facts of this case were the most egregious that I have encountered during my 26 years on the bench."
She was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes about a year ago. Here's how her condition was reversed
A year ago, Lorraine O'Quinn was coping with stress, chronic illness and Type 2 diabetes. Then she discovered a health program that she says changed her life.
Surprise swing state? Iowa poll has Harris suddenly leading
Based on victories in the past two elections and polls leading up to Tuesday’s election, Donald Trump had seemed almost certain to win Iowa, but a new poll has Kamala Harris with a sudden three-point lead.
Russia suspected of sending incendiary devices on US- and Canada-bound planes, Wall Street Journal reports
Incendiary devices that ignited in Germany and the United Kingdom in July were part of a covert Russian operation that aimed to start fires aboard cargo and passenger flights heading to the U.S. and Canada, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Monday, citing Western security officials.