Woman arrested in Iran after stripping during protest against harassment | Iran

Amnesty International has called on authorities in Iran to “immediately and unconditionally” release a female student who was arrested after stripping to her underwear in what the organization described as a public protest against harassment linked to the country’s strict dress code.

The incident occurred after the woman, who has not been identified, allegedly had a confrontation with members of the Basij paramilitary force, who tore her headscarf and tore her clothes inside Tehran’s prestigious Islamic Azad University.

Videos posted on social media appear to show the woman taking off her clothes and walking out into the street in her underwear. Another video appears to show the woman being bundled into a car by plainclothes men.

Student media Amir Kabir’s newsletter said the woman had been harassed by a Basij member for not wearing a headscarf. Under Iran’s mandatory dress code, women must wear headscarves and loose-fitting clothing in public.

The media outlet also claimed that she was beaten during the arrest and said on Saturday that information about the woman’s condition and whereabouts was not available.

Amnesty International Iran called for an “independent and impartial” investigation into the abuse allegations.

“Iranian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release the university student who was violently arrested after she removed her clothes in protest against the violent enforcement of mandatory veiling by security officials,” it said. said on social media.

“Until her release, the authorities must protect her from torture and other ill-treatment and ensure access to family and a lawyer.”

Iran’s conservative Fars news agency confirmed the incident, saying the student had been wearing “inappropriate clothes” and had “dressed” after being told by security guards to observe the dress code.

In a report citing “witnesses”, it said security guards had spoken “calmly” to the student and denied reports that their actions had been aggressive in any way.

The incident comes more than two years after Iran was rocked by nationwide protests following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, an Iranian Kurdish woman who had been arrested for allegedly violating the dress code. The protests, where some women defied the authorities to throw off their headscarves, were later severely slowed down by authorities.

With contributions from Agence France-Presse and Reuters