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