Iran Minister Slams Woman Student’s Public Act of Stripping as Immoral

Photo : AFP

Iran’s science minister, Hossein Simaei, publicly condemned a female student’s act of stripping down to her underwear in a public space, calling it "immoral and uncustomary." The incident occurred on Saturday and quickly went viral on social media. Simaei, speaking to the press on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, criticized the student’s actions, stating that she had "broken the norms" and her behavior "was not based on sharia, and was immoral and uncustomary." However, he clarified that the student had not been expelled from her university.

The student, identified as a member of the Islamic Azad University in Tehran, was seen walking around her campus and later in the streets in just her underwear, according to footage shared widely online. Simaei further denounced the republishing of the video, accusing those who circulated it of spreading "prostitution." He emphasized that such behavior should not be encouraged, as it goes against both moral and religious values upheld in Iran.

The incident was met with a range of reactions in Iran. Amnesty International reported that the student had been "violently arrested" after removing her clothes as a protest against the enforcement of the compulsory hijab laws. These laws, which mandate that women cover their head and neck and dress modestly, have been a point of contention since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

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The Iranian government, however, downplayed the severity of the incident. Spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani addressed the media, dismissing claims that the student had been targeted for not wearing the hijab. She stated that "the issue was actually something else" and reiterated that the level of nudity displayed was not acceptable in any context. She also insisted that the girl had not been treated harshly by the authorities.

In a statement released on Saturday, the university where the student was enrolled reported that she had been handed over to the police and found to be "under severe pressure" and suffering from a mental disorder. This revelation cast a different light on the motivations behind her act of protest, suggesting that her actions may have been influenced by personal struggles.

This incident comes in the wake of the nationwide protests that rocked Iran in 2022 after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was arrested by the morality police for allegedly violating the country’s strict dress code. Amini’s death while in police custody sparked widespread outrage and led to months of protests across the country, during which hundreds of people were killed, including dozens of security personnel. Thousands more were arrested, and the unrest underscored the deep tensions surrounding Iran’s laws on women’s dress and the broader issue of personal freedoms.