On
Monday, Farinaz Khosravani, a 25-year old chambermaid at Tara Hotel in Mahabad,
the historic and cultural center of the Iranian Kurdistan, lost her life after jumping from the fourth floor of the hotel, allegedly to avoid sexual advances by a senior member of Mahabad branch of the ministry of information, Iran's intelligence service. The police, however, announced on Saturday the arrest of a suspect in Farinaz's death, saying the suspect had no connection to the intelligence or security forces.
Reports
on Twitter and other social media indicate that tensions are still high in
Mahabad. On Thursday, the police used tear gas to disperse hundreds of
protesters from the area in front of the hotel, and moments later some of
the protesters torched the hotel. Thousands of people later marched on the streets of Mahabad after a call from women's rights activists to protest Farinaz's death.
Now the police hope today’s announcement of the arrest of the suspect would return calm to the city. Some reports on the Twitter today indicate that the public might not accept the police explanation.
UPDATE: Rudaw reports that security forces have withdrawn from the area around the hotel to avoid further inflaming public anger. An official inside Mahabad mayor's office told Rudaw that "protecting people's lives was more important than the hotel." (Rudaw, 9 May)
Now the police hope today’s announcement of the arrest of the suspect would return calm to the city. Some reports on the Twitter today indicate that the public might not accept the police explanation.
UPDATE: Rudaw reports that security forces have withdrawn from the area around the hotel to avoid further inflaming public anger. An official inside Mahabad mayor's office told Rudaw that "protecting people's lives was more important than the hotel." (Rudaw, 9 May)
Photos credit: Mahabad's Protests and Tara Hotel burning (Rudaw/Twitter)
