Human rights activists are urging Iranian authorities to release a woman detained for removing her clothing at a university as a protest against compulsory hijab laws.
A video shared on social media on Saturday showed the woman sitting in her underwear before calmly walking along the pavement at the Science and Research Branch of Islamic Azad University in Tehran. In a subsequent video, she appears to remove her underwear, after which plainclothes agents forcibly detain her and push her into a car.
Azad University claimed the woman had a “mental disorder” and had been taken to a psychiatric hospital. However, many Iranians on social media questioned this assertion, viewing her actions as part of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement, which encourages women to publicly defy laws requiring them to cover their hair and wear long clothing.
The current unrest stems from a tragic incident two years ago when Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini died in police custody for allegedly not wearing her hijab “properly.” Reports indicate that more than 500 people were killed during nationwide protests that followed this event.
The Amirkabir Newsletter, an Iranian student movement media outlet, reported that the woman had an altercation with security agents over her lack of a headscarf, leading to her undressing during the scuffle. Witnesses noted that she sustained injuries when her head hit the car door during her detention.
According to eyewitnesses from BBC Persian, the woman entered a classroom at Azad University, filming students and claiming she was there to “save” them.
Women’s rights activist Azam Jangravi, who fled Iran after being imprisoned for protesting against mandatory hijab laws, remarked:
“When I protested against mandatory hijab… my family was pressured to declare me mentally ill.”
She emphasized that many families feel compelled to make such declarations under pressure from authorities to protect their loved ones.
Amnesty International has called for Iran to “immediately and unconditionally release” the detained university student. They demand protection from torture and ensure access to family and legal representation. Allegations of abuse during her arrest require independent investigation.
UN Special Rapporteur on Iran, Mai Sato, expressed intent to closely monitor the situation. In solidarity, Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi stated:
“Women pay the price for defiance… I call for her freedom and an end to the harassment of women.”
Arrest of a Student in Iran The video of the Iranian student has gone viral, sparking anguish over her fate. On Saturday, the young woman was arrested at Tehran’s Azad University after she protested the forced veil by stripping down to her underwear.
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