In Tehran, Iran, a female student was arrested by security forces after stripping down to her undergarments outside of a university in protest against hijab restrictions. The incident, captured in videos shared on social media, has sparked outrage and debate regarding the strict dress code mandated for women in public in Iran. The student's bold act of defiance has brought attention to the ongoing battle for women's rights in the country.
Hijab Protests in Iran: Defiance and Debate
In recent years, Iran has witnessed a growing movement opposing the mandatory hijab (headscarf) for women. The issue has sparked widespread debate and protests, highlighting the ongoing battle for women's rights in the country.
The Tehran Arrest
On October 12, 2022, a female student at Tehran's Shahid Beheshti University was arrested after she removed her hijab outside the university gates in protest. The incident was captured in videos that quickly went viral on social media.
According to witnesses, the student took off her hijab, revealing her hair, and began walking towards the university entrance. Security forces immediately detained her and took her into custody.
The incident triggered widespread outrage and debate. Many Iranian women and human rights activists condemned the arrest and expressed solidarity with the student. They argued that the mandatory hijab was a symbol of oppression and that women should have the right to choose their attire.
Background
The mandatory hijab has been enforced in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Article 638 of Iran's penal code states that women who appear in public without a hijab can be fined or imprisoned for up to two months.
Over the past decades, there have been several protests and challenges to the hijab law. In 1999, a group of women journalists launched the One Million Signatures Campaign, which gathered signatures to demand changes to laws restricting women's rights, including the hijab law.
In 2014, Masih Alinejad, an Iranian journalist and activist, launched a social media campaign called "My Stealthy Freedom," which encouraged women to share photos of themselves without the hijab. The campaign received widespread international attention and sparked a debate about women's rights in Iran.
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