Iranian student strips to protest against attacks by hijab enforcers

An Iranian student was arrested on Saturday for stripping off her clothes in protest after she was reportedly attacked by security forces for wearing inappropriate hijabs at Tehran's Islamic Azad University.

A video showing the student sitting in the courtyard of the university's science and research department went viral on Iranian social media.

A university official later confirmed her arrest. “After an indecent act by a student of the science and research department of the university, the campus security forces intervened and handed the person over to law enforcement,” wrote Amir Mahjoub, general director of public relations at Islamic Azad University, on X. “The motives and reasons for The student’s conduct is currently under investigation.”

On the same day, Amir Kabir Newsletter, a student group on Telegram, reported details of the incident, saying that the student disrobed after being harassed by security forces for not wearing a headscarf and her clothes were torn.

During the student's arrest, she was subjected to severe physical attacks, hitting her head against a car door or a pillar, causing profuse bleeding. “Stains of the student’s blood were reportedly visible on the car’s tires,” the report said.

Since the emergence of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in Iran, sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody in September 2022 for hijab violations, hardliners have intensified their efforts to enforce strict dress codes for women. Despite widespread public opposition, government action to tighten hijab laws has increased, resulting in the closure of businesses and the confiscation of vehicles linked to hijab violations.

Project Noor, launched on April 13 to enforce hijab regulations, has led to a significant increase in the presence of police forces, Basij paramilitary units and plainclothes officers in public spaces. Additionally, universities such as Alzahra University in Tehran have introduced facial recognition technology at entrance gates and denied entry to students whose appearance does not meet strict hijab laws.

During his election campaign, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned proposed hijab legislation as a “plan of darkness” and vowed to end moral police patrols and the use of violence against women for non-compliance with hijab rules.

Nevertheless, in October, Iran's Guardian Council approved the controversial hijab and chastity bill, which is currently being considered in parliament.