The Modern-Day Witch Hunt in Iran

By: Dr. Denise Renye

There are times when women (and some men) are punished en masse by those in power for being “wicked.” You might think that was relegated to the past, that witch hunts died out in the 18th century, but they did not. We’re seeing a modern-day witch hunt take place in Iran right now. And just as in the past, the current witch hunts are meant to put people “in their place” and act as a warning to toe the line of normalcy, compliance, and obedience.  

To recap, on September 16, 2022, a 22-year-old student, Mahsa Amini, was detained by morality police in Tehran for her supposedly “incorrect” hijab and died at the hands of police. Photos and witnesses indicate she was badly beaten and her death has sparked outrage.

In the following days, women defiantly burned their hijabs or cut their hair in public. According to the Economist, “Crowds chant ‘death to the dictator’ and chase off policemen. Families weep over the coffins of relatives killed at protests—and then urge their fellow mourners to keep at it.”

And now, months later, Reuters reports 450 protesters have been killed as of November 26, 2022, including 63 minors. It’s worth mentioning the Iranian government has intentionally executed some people in connection with the protests. The exact number isn’t known but it’s important to note the deaths aren’t all because of clashes with security forces or other injuries that occur during uprisings. Also, 60 members of the security forces had been killed, and 18,173 protesters have been detained.

Protestors are challenging the Islamic Republic’s legitimacy, calling for the downfall of Iran’s Shi’ite Muslim theocracy, and burning pictures of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Several elements parallel the witch hunts in the 15th through 18th centuries taking place in Europe and New England.

For instance, the domino setting off the witch hunts came from a religious leader, Pope John XXII (1316-1334), who allowed heresy to be viewed as a deed and not just an intellectual crime. Then witchcraft was linked to heresy in the 15th century and specifically the devil. It was thought witchcraft involved an active pact with the Devil, making it not just a ritual, but a heretical act, a UC Berkeley exhibit on the topic reveals.

The witch trials predominantly affected women, although a significant minority were men. Who were the people accused of witchcraft? At the Salem Witch Trials in 1692 anyway, the first three were Tituba, a slave; Sarah Good, “a poor beggar and social misfit;” and Sarah Osborne, “a quarrelsome woman who rarely attended church,” the UC Berkeley exhibit reports. In other words, it was women who didn’t fit in with the rest of society. Women that could be scapegoated for the town’s problems were pointed to, attacked, and killed. Historically, women who dare to be different have  been blamed, shamed, humiliated, and killed.  

Women accused of witchcraft were believed to hold nocturnal meetings where they did “wicked things” like dancing naked, indulging in orgies, and carrying out a parody of the Catholic mass, says historian Tim Lambert. Furthermore, “evidence” used against these women was hearsay, gossip, and unsupported assertions with no right to counsel or appeal.

Sounds like what’s happening in Iran where women are being punished for “wicked” things like not wearing a hijab properly and the government is trying to crush an uprising of the divine feminine.

Over and over again, the patriarchy tries to disenfranchise women and other minorities. Who the minority groups are varies from country to country, but regardless, those in power wish to remain in power and as we’re seeing, they’ll do anything to stay in that position. Including detaining thousands of protestors and executing those who dare to defy their authority. 

Journal Prompts

·      When you imagine defying authority, what feelings come up for you inside?

·      Is there ancestral healing for you to explore in terms of your own familial lineage being prosecuted just for being themselves? 

·      In what ways can you allow your own divine feminine (this is for everyone across the gender continuum) to rise?

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References

Berkeley Law. “Witch Trials in Early Modern Europe and New England.” The Robbins Collection. https://www.law.berkeley.edu/research/the-robbins-collection/exhibitions/witch-trials-in-early-modern-europe-and-new-england/. Accessed November 29, 2022.

Economist writers. “Iran’s rebellion spreads, despite lethal repression.” The Economist. September 26, 2022. https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/09/26/irans-rebellion-spreads-despite-lethal-repression

Elwelly, Elwely. “Iran rejects U.N. investigation into protests – spokesperson.” Reuters. November 28, 2022. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-says-it-has-proof-that-western-states-were-involved-protests-2022-11-28/?UTM_CAMPAIGN=Big_Moments&UTM_SOURCE=Google&UTM_MEDIUM=Sponsored

Lambert, Tim. “A History of the Witch Trials in Europe.” Local Histories. https://localhistories.org/a-history-of-the-witch-trials-in-europe/. March 14, 2021.