Arrest of a Woman in Tehran After Going Naked in Protest Against Mandatory Hijab

A young woman who took off her shirt and waved it above her head in protest against the restrictions on women's dress freedom and the enforcement of mandatory hijab in Saadat Abad, Tehran, was arrested by government agents. According to a video report published by Masih Alinejad, a journalist and political activist, the woman stood on a height at a corner of the street and waved her shirt while people passed by without looking at her. The report does not mention the name or identity of the young woman, but it states that she was arrested by the Islamic Republic's agents. This is not the first time that women's acts of protest through nudity in Iran have faced police and judicial responses. Previously, a young woman in Mashhad also went naked in protest against the Islamic Republic's police, and the video of this protest was shared on social media. According to state media, this incident occurred on 'Sayad Shirazi Street in Mashhad,' but the exact date is not specified. However, it was reported that this act took place on Thursday, February 11 of the current year. In the video, a woman is seen sitting on a police vehicle after removing her clothes. The protesting woman shouted at the police, including phrases like 'Eat it!' and 'It’s none of your business!' Passing cars honked in support of her. In recent months, a student named 'Ahoo Daryaee,' known on social media as the 'Girl of Science and Research,' protested by taking off her clothes at the Islamic Azad University in Tehran. After this act of protest, she was arrested by government officials and transferred to a psychiatric hospital, which sparked widespread domestic and international reactions. This event has generated extensive reactions on social media, with some considering it part of the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement and protests by women in Iran. Eight years ago, in the winter of 2018, Vida Mohaghegh performed a spontaneous act by removing her headscarf while standing on a platform in a busy area of Tehran, protesting against the mandatory hijab, which is one of the repressive policies of the government against women. This act became a turning point in the civil struggles of women in Iran as it was repeated by several other women. Despite the expansion of the Islamic Republic's policies to restrict individual and social freedoms for women, reports indicate that civil disobedience against mandatory hijab continues in various forms.