DUBAI: More than 800 Iranian doctors have accused the head of the Medical Council of aiding the government by 鈥榗overing up鈥� the cause of Mahsa Amini鈥檚 death while in morality police custody last month.
The group released a statement on October 11 saying Mohammad Raeiszadeh, the head of Iran鈥檚 Medical Council, used the name and reputation of the organization to 鈥榣egitimize the so-called fact-finding committee to cover up the cause of Mahsa Amini's death,鈥� reported Radio Farda.
鈥淭he 鈥榝act-finding鈥� committee was formed behind closed doors and has no credibility,鈥� wrote the signatories in the statement.
Amini died on September 16, three days after being arrested by morality police in Tehran for allegedly breaking the country's Islamic dress code.
At the time of the incident, eyewitnesses told journalists the 22-year-old victim appeared to have been beaten inside the police van, after which she fell into a coma and was admitted to a hospital.
The doctors who signed the statement said they 鈥榬egretted鈥� that the council鈥檚 head, Raeiszadeh, forgot the 鈥榤oral and social obligation of doctors to defend the people.鈥�
On October 7, an official coroner's report said that Amini's death was not caused by blows to the head or limbs but was instead linked to disease.
State news agency ISNA also reported that the medical board found 鈥榰nderlying diseases鈥� that caused Amini鈥檚 death, with no mention of any sustained injuries.
Several other doctors, who saw pictures of Amini in the hospital, pointed out on social media that the cause of the bleeding from her ear could be a blow to the head.
Her death has sparked a wave of street protests in both in Iran and in several other countries, with strong international reactions to the incident.
At least 201 people, including 23 children, have been killed in nationwide protests that have rocked Iran since Amini鈥檚 death.