Woman who protested hijab law in Iran by stripping in public has disappeared after violent arrest
In Iran, a woman was arrested on Saturday 2 November 2024 after allegedly stripping down to her undergarments at Tehranâs Islamic Azad University, protesting an alleged assault by campus security forces enforcing strict hijab laws, as first reported by rights group Amnesty International. The woman was reportedly harassed and had her clothes torn during the incident, captured on social media, where she was seen sitting and walking around the campus in her underwear.
Following her arrest, the university confirmed the incident on X (Twitter) but did not provide specific reasons for her detention, claiming that the woman was âunder severe stress and suffering from mental disorders, and has been transferred to a medical centre.â Amir Mahjob, the universityâs public relations director, referred to her actions as âindecentâ and confirmed that she had been handed over to law enforcement for investigation.
As reported by Iran International, the student sustained injuries after being physically assaulted during her arrest.
It said the student was âdisrobed after being harassed for not wearing a headscarf and having her clothing torn by security forces.â
âBlood stains from the student were reportedly seen on the carâs tyres,â the publication further noted, citing a newsletter by the student group Amir Kabir, adding that her head was struck either by a car door or a pillar, which caused heavy bleeding.
Amnesty International has since called for her immediate and unconditional release, urging protection against torture and ill-treatment and demanding an investigation into alleged violence during her arrest.
This event highlights a growing wave of resistance in Iran, as more women defy the countryâs strict hijab laws following the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, whose case sparked months of protests under the âWomen, Life, Freedomâ movement. These protests, however, were met with a harsh crackdown, leaving 551 protesters dead and thousands more arrested. While the demonstrations have since subsided, an increasing number of women continue to resist the hijab laws, facing renewed incidents of forceful enforcement amid reports that little has changed in official policy.
Despite the protests, reports suggest no significant changes in policies, with recurring incidents of forceful enforcement by authorities. As reported by The Independent, in October 2023, Iranian teenager Armita Geravand was injured in a mysterious incident on Tehranâs metro while she was not wearing a headscarf; she later died in the hospital after falling into a coma. In another recent incident in July, activists reported that police opened fire on a woman who attempted to flee a checkpoint to avoid having her car impounded for not wearing the hijab.
Iranâs reformist president, Masoud Pezeshkian, had pledged to end the harassment of women by morality police. Still, Iranâs Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, maintains that unveiling remains âreligiously and politically forbidden.â Recent events, like the death of teenager Armita Geravand after an incident on the Tehran metro, underscore the ongoing risks women face for defying hijab laws in Iran.
On 16 August 2023, Bidarzani, an independent womenâs rights organisation, reported that Iranian security forces raided multiple homes, arresting 12 individuals, including 11 womenâs rights defenders and a political activist. According to Bidarzani, the Prosecutorâs Office has withheld information about the charges against the detainees from their families.
âIranian authorities are using their go-to playbook of putting maximum pressure on peaceful dissidents ahead of the anniversary of Mahsa Aminiâs death,â said Tara Sepehri Far, senior Iran researcher at Human Rights Watch (HRW). âThe arbitrary arrests of a dozen activists are aimed at suppressing popular discontent with ongoing impunity and rights violations.â
Authorities have also pressured families of protesters killed in 2022 to refrain from holding memorial services for their loved ones. BBC Persian reported on August 14 that Iranian authorities warned families against any commemorative events. Additionally, in recent months, officials have summoned, arrested, and sentenced activists who had only recently been released with amnesty.
As the situation unfolds, the young womanâs current whereabouts remain unknown, raising serious concerns for her safety and well-being. International organisations are watching closely, hoping for her swift release.
