In a bold act of defiance against Iran’s stringent Islamic dress code, a young woman at Islamic Azad University stripped down to her underwear on Saturday. The incident, captured on video and shared widely on social media, has sparked significant attention and outrage regarding women’s rights in Iran.
Footage of the protest was initially shared by the Iranian student outlet Amir Kabir Newsletter, showing the woman being detained by security guards at the university. Following the arrest, a university spokesperson, Amir Mahjob, claimed that the woman was under “severe mental pressure” and suggested that she had a mental disorder.
A student at Iran’s University of Science and Research was accosted by Islamic Regime morality police for showing her hair beneath her hijab. They tore her clothes as they attacked her.
So in protest she took her clothes off and stood in the square in nothing but her underwear.… pic.twitter.com/K7x6glNccG
— The Persian Jewess (@persianjewess) November 2, 2024
#Iran regime’s morality #Sharia police harassed an Iranian student for not wearing her #hijab properly.
In defiance, brave Iranian stripped down to her underwear and walked around. pic.twitter.com/5dpJukVxTQ
— Sanjiv K Pundir (@k_pundir) November 3, 2024
Reports indicate that she may be transferred to a mental health facility after further investigations, though her current condition remains unclear. The Amir Kabir newsletter alleged that she was beaten during the arrest, raising concerns about the treatment of detainees in Iran.
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have condemned the arrest. The organization issued a statement demanding the immediate and unconditional release of the student, emphasizing that the authorities must protect her from torture and allow access to her family and legal representation. Amnesty has documented numerous cases of mistreatment against women in Iranian prisons, underscoring the urgent need for reform.
This incident comes in the wake of widespread protests that erupted in Iran in 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini, a woman who was arrested for allegedly violating hijab rules. The protests saw women across the country removing and burning their headscarves in defiance of government regulations. The subsequent crackdown led to the deaths of 551 protesters and thousands of arrests, highlighting the volatile state of women’s rights in the country.
As the situation unfolds, the actions of the young woman serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle for women’s rights and freedoms in Iran.
