Calls for release of woman arrested in Iran after university protest

Human rights advocates have appealed to Iranian authorities for the liberation of a woman taken into custody subsequent to her disrobing at a university, an act they characterized as a demonstration against mandatory hijab regulations. Footage emerged on social media platforms on Saturday depicting the woman in her undergarments, initially seated on steps and subsequently strolling composedly along a pathway at the Islamic Azad University’s Science and Research Branch in Tehran. A subsequent video clip shows the woman seemingly taking off her undergarments. Soon after, individuals identified as plainclothes agents are observed apprehending her by force and compelling her into a vehicle. Azad University stated that the woman was afflicted with a “mental disorder” and had been transported to a “psychiatric hospital”. Numerous Iranians on social media platforms expressed skepticism regarding this assertion, instead characterizing her conduct as an element of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement, which has witnessed numerous women openly challenging statutes mandating head coverings and modest attire. Over 500 individuals were reportedly fatalities during countrywide demonstrations that commenced two years prior, following the death of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish woman, while in police detention after being apprehended for not wearing her hijab “properly”. The Amirkabir Newsletter Telegram channel, which identifies itself as “Iranian student movement media” and was the initial source to disseminate the account, reported that the woman engaged in a dispute with security personnel concerning her lack of a headscarf, culminating in her disrobing amidst the confrontation. The channel indicated that the woman’s head struck the door or frame of the plainclothes agents’ vehicle during her apprehension, resulting in bleeding, and that she was subsequently transported to an unknown whereabouts. Eyewitnesses informed BBC Persian that the woman entered their classroom at Azad University and commenced recording students. Upon the lecturer’s objection, she departed, shouting, according to their statements. Witnesses reported that the woman declared to the students: “I’ve come to save you.” Concurrently, Iranian media disseminated a video featuring a man whose face was obscured, who asserted he was the woman’s former spouse and requested the public refrain from circulating the video for the welfare of her two offspring. BBC Persian has been unable to corroborate the man’s assertions. Canada-based women’s rights activist Azam Jangravi, who departed Iran after receiving a three-year prison sentence for removing her headscarf during a 2018 protest, stated: “When I protested against mandatory hijab, after security forces arrested me, my family was pressured to declare me mentally ill.” She further commented, “My family didn’t do it, but many families under pressure do, thinking it’s the best way to protect their loved ones. This is how the Islamic Republic tries to discredit women, by questioning their mental health.” Amnesty International declared that Iran “must immediately and unconditionally release the university student who was violently arrested.” The organization further asserted, “Pending her release, authorities must protect her from torture and other ill-treatment, and ensure access to family and lawyer. Allegations of beatings and sexual violence against her during arrest need independent and impartial investigations. Those responsible must held to account.” Mai Sato, the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran, shared the video on X, stating that she would be “monitoring this incident closely, including the authorities’ response.” Narges Mohammadi, an Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate presently incarcerated in Iran, released a statement expressing profound concern regarding the matter. She affirmed, “Women pay the price for defiance, but we do not bow down to force.” Mohammadi continued, “The student who protested at the university turned her body – long weaponized as a tool of repression – into a symbol of dissent. I call for her freedom and an end to the harassment of women.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.