The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran says she is monitoring the case of a young Iranian woman who was forcibly detained after protesting the country’s mandatory hijab by removing her clothes at Tehran’s Azad University.
Maio Sato shared a video of the student on X, stating she would be following the incident closely, especially observing the response of authorities.
The footage, circulated widely on Saturday, shows the woman in her underwear on campus, with officers seen taking her into custody by force.
Imprisoned human rights activist and Nobel peace prize laureate Narges Mohammadi issued a statement from prison, saying that that women pay a price for their defiance, but do not bow to force.
She described the student’s body as a symbol of rebellion, anger, and resistance, calling for her release and an end to the suppression and harassment of women.
Amnesty Iran has called for the immediate and unconditional release of the student, urging officials to protect her from mistreatment while in custody.
“Authorities must protect her from torture and other ill-treatment and ensure access to [her] family and [a] lawyer”, wrote Amnesty Iran on X, preempting prison abuse, as has been widely documented by rights groups since the crackdowns on ‘Women, Life, Freedom’ protests and women refusing hijab.
“Allegations of beatings and sexual violence against her during arrest need independent and impartial investigations. Those responsible must held to account,” the group said.
Student sources say the woman’s protest was sparked by harassment from university security over the hijab policy. Amir Kabir Newsletter, a prominent student publication on Telegram, reported that the student was transferred to a psychiatric hospital under orders from the IRGC intelligence organization.
This was confirmed by the newspaper Farhikhtegan, affiliated with Azad University, which stated that she had been admitted to a mental health facility.
On the same day, Amir Mahjoub, the Director of Public Relations at Islamic Azad University, issued a statement saying that the woman had been sent to a police station due to “severe psychological distress,” echoing statements from media accounts close to the IRGC that she had mental health issues.
State-affiliated outlets later circulated a video of a man identifying himself as her husband, who claimed she was the mother of two and that she had mental health issues.
The incident has since drawn public backlash online, with social media users denouncing what they see as a familiar tactic used by authorities to delegitimize female protestors by labeling them as mentally unstable.
The crackdown on women protesting the mandatory hijab intensified in the wake of Mahsa Amini’s death in September 2022 while in morality police custody. That event triggered widespread demonstrations, with many Iranians calling for greater freedoms and challenging systemic oppression.
Source: Iran International
