A student was detained in Tehran on November 2, 2024, after staging a protest by stripping down to her underwear. Videos of the incident circulated on Iranian social media, showing the student walking on the street and later sitting on a stone parapet near Azad University.
In another video, plainclothes men forcibly took the student into a vehicle and drove her away. According to Amir Kabir Newsletter, the protest was triggered when members of the Basij militia confronted her about her 'improper' hijab, resulting in them tearing her clothing. Reports indicate that during her detention, she was assaulted, including being struck on the head against the car door, causing bleeding.
Human rights organization Amnesty International has called for the immediate and unconditional release of the student, condemning her harsh detention after protesting against the enforcement of mandatory dress codes by security personnel. They emphasized the need for an independent investigation into allegations of beatings and sexual violence during her detention.
A university representative claimed that the detained individual is mentally ill and has been sent to a clinic.
Iran experienced nationwide protests in 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian citizen detained by morality police for allegedly wearing her hijab improperly. These protests, during which women removed and sometimes burned their headscarves, ceased only after severe crackdowns that resulted in over 550 deaths and thousands of arrests. The European Parliament posthumously awarded Amini the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. Protests also occurred on the first and second anniversaries of her death.
In Iran, women are required to cover their hair with a hijab and wear loose clothing. Authorities threaten 'relentless persecution' of violators, who are being identified through 'smart cameras.' The parliament is currently reviewing a bill to tighten hijab regulations, which has already received approval from the Guardian Council, a body composed of conservative Islamic clerics.