Iran State TV Disrupted by Hackers as Protests Sparked by Woman’s Death Enter 4th Week

The primetime news program on Iran’s state TV was disrupted on Saturday by hackers who broadcast a message supporting the massive protests throughout the country, which are now entering their fourth week. The hackers disrupted an address by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei with photos of the women and teens killed during the protest, including a photo of Mahsa Amini, 22, whose death last month after being arrested by Iran’s morality police sparked the current protests. A message in Farsi read “The blood of our youths is on your hands,” as well as a message calling on Iranians to go out and protest, Iran International, an opposition publication, reported. At least 90 protesters have died since the demonstrations began last month. Iran’s coroner announced on Friday that Amini died of an “underlying” disease that caused a lack of oxygen to the brain, and not as a result of being beaten by police. At least two protesters died in nationwide anti-government protests on Saturday. In an expansion of the protests, shopkeepers in some areas of Tehran and in other places in the Islamic Republic closed their stores as part of an economic protest.