Iran judiciary opens probe into death of teenage girl

Iran’s judiciary has opened an investigation into the death of a teenage girl, who was reportedly killed during protests over the death in police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.

A wave of unrest has rocked Iran since Amini died on September 16 after her arrest by the morality police in Tehran for allegedly failing to observe the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code for women.

Anger flared at her funeral and spread to become the biggest wave of protests to rock Iran in almost three years, despite the backlash by the security forces that has killed scores and seen hundreds arrested.

Students rallied at the weekend before being confronted by riot police who cornered them in an underground car park of Tehran's prestigious Sharif University of Technology before hauling them away.

Schoolgirls have since taken up the baton around the country, removing their hijabs, shouting anti-regime slogans and defacing images of the clerical state's leaders. The street violence has led to the deaths of dozens of people - mostly protesters but also members of the security forces.

Earlier, the prosecutor said 400 protesters were released from prison “on condition of not repeating their actions.” He stressed, however, that those “who acted against national security” will be dealt with “decisively, seriously and without leniency.”