Iran: Woman Strips Down to Underwear and Is Arrested

Hat tip Gates of Vienna and Vlad Tepes for subtitling. Translation by Fousesquawk.

On Saturday, an Iranian woman was involved in some sort of confrontation with police on the campus of Asad University in Teheran. The police reportedly tore her clothes and head covering. At this point, the woman stripped down to her underwear and walked back and forth in protest until she was arrested and turned over to the so-called "Morals Police".

The incident was picked up by the Belgian daily, HLN, which posted the videos taken by passersby. One video has Dutch subtitles which we have translated into English subtitles (pending).

Update: Here is the video.

Caption: A student protested in her underwear in Iran

Images of student who undressed in Iran go viral: Young woman arrested after "underwear protest"

On Saturday in Iran, a student reportedly stripped down to her underwear after a clash with police. The incident occurred at the private university of Asad in the capital city of Teheran, according to the human rights organization, Hengaw.

KVE-November 3, 2024, 08:10  Latest update: 12:27. Source: Barron's, Reuters, Belga, X

The woman was harassed at the university by members of the paramilitary unit, Basij, which is linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.  They tore her clothes and her head covering, according to reports from various news outlets and social media channels outside Iran.

The student then removed her clothes in protest and went out to sit on a wall before walking up and down the street with her arms crossed to the surprise of passersby, which videos posted on social media show.

Pro-government media claimed that she had "mental" problems and reported that the university security service turned the girl over to the police.

In the Islamic Republic of Iran, there are strict dress codes for women. In public spaces, they must wear the headscarf. The morals police make sure the rules are followed, but the younger generation increasingly disregards them, especially in Teheran and other large cities.

"Arrested by force"

The human rights organization, Amnesty International, immediately called for the release of the woman who had undressed. "The Iranian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release the university student who was arrested with force after she had removed her clothes in protest against the strict clothing codes and compulsory head covering," it said on X.

"Pending her release, the authorities must protect her from torture and other mistreatment and ensure that she can speak with a lawyer and her family."

Amnesty International added that the "accusations of mistreatment and sexual force during her arrest must be independently and impartially investigated".