'We will never be the same again': Iran's women speak

“The death of Mahsa Amini has changed our lives. After seeing all the things we have seen in the days since she died, we will never be the same again.” 

In this photo taken by an individual not employed by the Associated Press and obtained by the AP outside Iran, Iranians protests the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after she was detained by the morality police, in Tehran, Oct. 1, 2022. Picture: AP Photo/Middle East Images, File

Despite being arrested multiple times, shot at, and humiliated, Iranian woman Ghazaal is willing to share her story. She is risking a lot speaking to me. 

We talk sporadically — punctuated by a day or more at a time. I download a secure app for our correspondence — reports that the Iranian government is using spyware to track phones are circulating, so it is imperative that our line is secure.