Continuation of 'Repetitive Scenarios'; Government Media's Efforts to Control Information Flow Regarding Armita Garavand

While the story of Armita Garavand and her coma 'due to the actions of hijab enforcement agents' in the Tehran metro has become the main news for independent media and social networks, officials of the Islamic Republic continue to prevent any leaks of information and news outside government channels regarding this matter. The removal of an interview by the online newspaper 'Faraz Daily' with Armita's father is the latest instance of the Islamic Republic's harsh response to the dissemination of information from semi-free domestic channels on this issue. 'Faraz Daily', which operates in Iran, reported on Wednesday, October 4, quoting Ahmad Garavand, Armita's father, saying: 'I truly do not have much information about Armita's condition. I am not at the hospital. I am at work. I have not heard from Armita for a few days; I am not in the loop. As far as I know, she is in a coma. That is all I know.' Hours later, this news and interview were removed from the 'Faraz Daily' website, and Maziar Khosravi, the editor-in-chief of this media outlet, wrote on his account on 'X': 'Unfortunately, a big mistake occurred in the news published today in Faraz Daily from Armita Garavand's father, which led to incorrect reporting. This news has been retracted and removed. While emphasizing that all responsibility lies with me as the editor-in-chief, I apologize to all readers.' However, Maziar Khosravi refrained from providing further explanations and did not clarify the 'big mistake' that occurred. On the other hand, Masoud Kazemi, a journalist, analyzed videos released by media affiliated with the Islamic Republic, which are claimed to relate to Armita Garavand and the time of the incident, writing on his account on 'X': 'The Islamic Republic supposedly released metro videos, skipping from 6:52:40 to 6:54:20, meaning 100 seconds are censored. From 6:54:50 in the supermarket to 6:57:31, again about 150 seconds are missing, and again from 6:58:15 to 6:59:40, another 85 seconds are missing.' He added: 'All of this assumes that the girl in the video is indeed Armita Garavand and that the videos are from the day of the incident. There is no deceit or trickery that can be ruled out from clerics, guards, or interrogators.' The Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers' Trade Unions also reported: 'Today, the head of the Ministry of Education's security department, while visiting Armita Garavand's school, threatened the teachers of this student, emphasizing that the publication of any news or even a photo of Armita through social media will result in severe penalties, and the offender will be directly expelled.' This channel also added: 'According to credible sources, yesterday, the head of the security department of the Tehran Education Department, while visiting this student's school, not only threatened the teachers but also warned Armita's classmates against any news reporting about this student's condition.' While government-affiliated media claim that a natural incident led to 'a drop in pressure and fainting' for Armita, on Tuesday, October 10, they prevented a journalist from the newspaper Shargh from entering the hospital to report on Armita Garavand and detained this journalist for several hours, while reports indicate the deployment of government suppression forces around Fajr Hospital, which is located in a completely military area of Tehran on Afseriyeh Highway. The incident involving Armita Garavand regarding the hijab coincided with the anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police, which has drawn widespread reactions from officials and global media. The office of the U.S. Special Envoy for Iran expressed shock and concern over reports of police attacks on this 16-year-old girl on social media 'X', stating: 'We are shocked and concerned to hear reports of police attacks on this 16-year-old girl.' This office added: 'We are following news of her condition, standing with the brave people of Iran, and working with the world to hold the Iranian regime accountable for its violations.' Annalena Baerbock, Germany's Foreign Minister, also wrote on social media 'X': 'A young woman in Iran is once again fighting for her life. Just because she showed her hair in the metro. This is unbearable.' Hannah Neumann, a German representative in the European Parliament, also commented on Armita Garavand's condition, saying, 'Another young woman fell into a coma due to not adhering to the hijab. Another journalist was threatened for reporting on this. Another family member was arrested for speaking about this.' Sharif Mansour, the Middle East and North Africa coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists, stated in a statement that this organization 'is following with concern the news of the beating of a teenage girl due to not wearing the government-approved hijab. This news is reminiscent of last year's events and the tragic fate of Mahsa Amini and her death at the hands of government agents.' He continued: 'We urge the Iranian authorities not to restart their malicious censorship machine by detaining and harassing journalists covering this important incident.' The Hamshahri newspaper, the press organ of the Tehran municipality, however, in response to news about the encounter between the so-called 'hijab enforcement' agents in the Tehran metro with 16-year-old Armita Garavand, claimed: 'The police officers in the metro do not engage in verbal disputes or physical confrontations; they only give a reminder to observe the hijab with one sentence.' This newspaper further labeled the news circulating on social media about the beating of a young girl in the metro by 'hijab enforcement' agents due to non-compliance with the hijab as 'rumor', adding: 'The claim that this girl was beaten by agents and injured, leading to her hospitalization, is completely false.' The Mizan news agency, affiliated with the judiciary of the Islamic Republic, also reported on Wednesday, October 4, in an interview with Armita's friends, quoting 'Fatemeh' and 'Mahla': 'That day everything was normal; we listened to music, talked, and laughed. We boarded the train in order, but Armita fell backward in less than a second and hit her head on the ground at the edge of the platform. No one warned us, and no one pushed Armita.' Armita Garavand, born in February 2007, is a 16-year-old student in the 11th grade at the state vocational school 'Orovat al-Thaqi' in Tehran's 11th district, who became unconscious on October 1 while returning from school at the 'Tehran Martyrs' metro station and was hospitalized at Fajr Hospital, affiliated with the Army Medical University.