Iranian Student's Dress Code Protest Sparks Outcry

Tensions rose at Tehran’s Islamic Azad University after a female student was seen in public without her traditional attire, walking in her underwear.

Video footage shared widely on social media shows the student in this state outside the university, which student groups claim was an act of protest against Iran’s strict Islamic dress codes. However, details of the incident remain disputed.

According to the Amir Kabir student news network, members of the Basij, a paramilitary volunteer group, allegedly harassed the student, removing her headscarf and clothing, which reportedly prompted her protest. Alternatively, the state-aligned Fars news agency reported that the student disrobed willingly after security personnel engaged her in a discussion about her attire.

The incident underscores ongoing societal divides over Iran’s mandatory hijab laws, which mandate public adherence to Islamic dress for women and have been at the center of protests and international scrutiny since the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022.

In response, the university’s spokesperson suggested the woman was suffering from mental health issues, a claim Amnesty International has questioned. The human rights organization called for her immediate release, condemning her “violent arrest” and demanding access to legal support and her family.