Strict dress codes for the feminine gender are not an uncommon issue in Iran. A young Iranian female student allegedly stripped in public inside a university campus on November 2, 2024, protesting the strict dress code! She was reportedly seen walking inside the campus of Islamic Azad University, clad in her undergarments only!

A video of this incident has gone viral on social media. The shocking video shows the girl walking only in undergarments after taking off her clothes. Thereafter, security guards of the private university were seen arresting the young student! Later, the university authorities claimed that the student had mental issues! Syed Amir Mahjoub, the Director (Public Relations) of the university, stressed that the security officers handed over the student to the Police. However, he denied that there was a physical clash, stating that the girl suffered from a psychological disorder and was under severe mental stress!

Meanwhile, many have refused to accept the claim that the student took off her clothes inside the university campus because of mental problems! They have argued that the Government of Iran has made it mandatory for girls and women to be clad in hijab at public places. The majority of young women are fed up with this rule. It is hence surmised that the student took off her clothes in protest against the strict dress code!

This incident took place in the wake of heightened tensions surrounding Women’s Rights in the Islamic Republic. It may be noted that the West Asian nation witnessed significant unrest after the death of a young woman, named Mahsa Amini, in Police custody in 2022. Amini was arrested for allegedly violating hijab regulations, with allegations suggesting that her demise resulted from Police brutality.

As expected, the video circulating on social media platform X, filmed by other students, has attracted a lot of attention online. Many have applauded the girl for her boldness and courage’. However, the university authorities did not reveal the identity of this young student!

On November 2, Amir Kabir Newsletter, a student group on Telegram, reported the incident in detail, mentioning that the student was disrobed after being harassed for not wearing a headscarf and having her clothing torn by security forces. During her arrest, she was also subjected to severe physical assault, including her head striking either a car door or a pillar, causing heavy bleeding. “Blood stains from the student were reportedly seen on the car’s tires,” added the Telegram channel.

In Iran, a student harassed by her university’s morality police over her “improper” hijab didn’t back down. She turned her body into a protest, stripping to her underwear and marching through campus—defying a regime that constantly controls women’s bodies. Her act is a powerful… pic.twitter.com/76ekxSK7bI— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) November 2, 2024

It is still not clear what happened to the student after her detention. According to the Iranian media, she might have been sent to a psychiatric hospital. Initially, some media houses reported that the girl was arrested by intelligence agents and transferred to an undisclosed location! Amnesty Iran called for the immediate and unconditional release of the student who reportedly stripped down in protest against the university’s strict dress code law. Amnesty Iran also stressed that all those found responsible must be held accountable, adding: “Allegations of beatings and sexual violence against her during arrest need independent and impartial investigations.“

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Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das