A 16-year-old Iranian girl, Armita Geravand, is reportedly in a coma following an incident in the Tehran Metro, where she was allegedly assaulted over accusations of hijab law violation. The incident occurred on October 1, 2023, and has drawn substantial criticism from human rights groups.
The circumstances surrounding the incident are yet to be clarified, but the Kurdish rights group Hengaw claims that Geravand was severely injured during an altercation with female morality police officers on the metro.
Geravand “was physically attacked by authorities in the Shohada station at Tehran Metro for what they perceived as noncompliance with the compulsory hijab,” Hengaw alleged.
This incident has reignited public anger, coming shortly after the one-year anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini, who passed away under similar circumstances last year, sparking nationwide protests.
A surveillance video aired by Iranian state television shows women pulling Geravand out of a metro, although the footage does not clarify the circumstances leading to her injuries. Iranian authorities have dismissed claims of assault, suggesting instead that Geravand “fainted” due to low blood pressure.
Adding to the tension, Shahin Ahmadi, the mother of Armita Geravand, was reportedly arrested by Iranian security forces. The arrest was disclosed on Thursday by Hengaw on the social media platform X, although further details regarding the arrest were not immediately available.
In the wake of this incident, human rights activists are urging for more transparency from Iranian authorities and calling for the release of additional footage that might provide clearer insight into what transpired on that day.