Concerns Over the Status of a Student from the University of Science and Research; French Foreign Minister Praises Her 'Courage'

As concerns grow about the fate of a female student who was arrested and stripped at the University of Science and Research in Tehran, the Iranian government spokesperson has announced that she has been hospitalized. Fatemeh Mohajerani stated on Tuesday, November 15, in an interview with the Ham-Mihan newspaper that the student was transferred 'by an ambulance from the social emergency services to a center for treatment.' She did not provide further details. Meanwhile, Amnesty International expressed concern on X (formerly Twitter) about the transfer of this girl to an 'unspecified psychiatric hospital.' The organization reminded that it had previously published documents regarding the government's repression of protesters under the pretext of 'mental disorders' that need to be 'treated.' Following the release of images of this girl on social media, she has become a symbol of opposition to mandatory hijab in Iran, although her motivations for this act remain unclear. Jean-Noël Barrot, the French Foreign Minister, stated in an interview with France 2: 'I salute the courage of this young woman who displayed her resistance and became a symbol of women's struggle in Iran.' Shirin Ebadi, a human rights lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, also reacted to the student's transfer to a treatment center, accusing Iranian officials of following this 'tired scenario' that claims 'the protesting individual has a mental disorder.' According to AFP, many political and civil activists also view this student as a new symbol of women's struggle for their rights, two years after the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody in Iran. On Saturday, November 12, a video of a female student from the University of Science and Research in Tehran was shared on social media, stating that she had stripped off her clothes and sat in the university environment following harassment by security personnel. After the video was released, Amir Kabir Newsletter reported that this female student was beaten and abducted for not adhering to the mandatory hijab by the security of the University of Science and Research in Tehran. The Farhikhtegan newspaper, affiliated with Azad University, also claimed based on what it called 'official and unofficial sources' that this student has 'severe mental and psychological disorders' and reported that she is 'currently hospitalized in one of the psychiatric hospitals after being handed over to the police station by the university security personnel.' Meanwhile, government spokesperson Masoud Pezeshkian stated on Tuesday, citing Azad University, that the 'treatment path' for this student is 'being pursued.' On the other hand, Richard Branson, a prominent British entrepreneur, praised this girl's 'strong and courageous protest' on X and called for her immediate release. Previously, Narges Mohammadi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and political prisoner, stated that the body of this female student is 'a symbol of rebellion and intense anger and uprising.' Elif Shafak, a Turkish-British author and human rights activist, shared a picture of this female student, writing: 'The beautiful, resilient, and rebellious spirit of Iranian women.' UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, Maïka Sato, also announced that she is closely monitoring this girl's situation. A large number of artists have also reacted to this girl's act and her fate through their works.