Iran is in the midst of a profound political and social crisis. Since the Islamic Republic came to power in 1979, the country has been ruled by an authoritarian, ideologically Islamist regime. Political freedoms are severely restricted, women are systematically discriminated against, opposition voices are persecuted, and social protest is repressively suppressed. In the wake of the recent nationwide protests, state violence has reached a new intensity. Away from the international spotlight, numerous people have been killed. Thousands upon thousands—including children, young people, and women—have been arrested, abducted, or imprisoned and continue to be subjected to severe repression.