Also available in Persian — نسخه فارسی EN فا
❓ Unknown

Report from Dadban: School Principal's Threat Led to Arzu Khavari's Suicide

Feb 3, 2026 February 3, 2026 3 min read 📰 VOA Persian
📋 Key Takeaway

Arzu Khavari, a 16-year-old Afghan student, committed suicide after being threatened with expulsion by her school principal for wearing jeans instead of the school uniform. The incident highlights severe issues of bullying and mental health pressures in Iranian schools, raising concerns about the treatment of students. This tragedy underscores the urgent need for systemic reforms in educational environments.

🔍 Quick Context Guide
💡 Bottom Line: Arzu Khavari's suicide is a tragic reminder of the urgent need for systemic reforms in Iran's educational environment.

👥 Key Players

Arzu Khavari MENTIONED
16-year-old student
"Her tragic suicide highlights the severe mental health issues and pressures faced by students in Iran."
Kowsar School Principal MENTIONED
School authority
"The principal's actions and threats directly contributed to the circumstances surrounding Arzu's suicide, reflecting systemic issues in educational environments."
Dadban MENTIONED
Consultation and legal education center
"They reported on the incident, bringing attention to the issue of student mental health and institutional bullying in Iran."
Arzu's Father MENTIONED
Family member
"His testimony provides personal insight into the impact of school policies on students and their families."

📰 What Happened

Arzu Khavari, a 16-year-old Afghan student, committed suicide after being threatened with expulsion by her school principal for not adhering to the school uniform policy. This incident has raised significant concerns about bullying and mental health in Iranian schools.

  • Arzu was threatened with expulsion for wearing jeans instead of the school uniform.
  • Her suicide occurred shortly after the threats from school officials.

💡 Why It Matters

🇮🇷 For Iran: This incident underscores the urgent need for reforms in the educational system to address bullying and mental health support for students.
🌍 Regional: It highlights broader issues of youth mental health and educational pressures that may resonate across the region.
🌐 International: The incident may draw international attention to human rights issues in Iran, particularly regarding the treatment of students and mental health care.

📚 Background

Iranian schools often impose strict dress codes and discipline, which can lead to severe mental health issues among students. This incident reflects a growing concern over the treatment of students and their well-being.

Mental health in Iran Bullying in schools
📡 Source: OPPOSITION
📊 Confidence: 70%
The Dadban account is known for highlighting issues related to human rights and may have a critical stance towards the Iranian educational system.

Warning: Contains content related to suicide. Nothing is more important than human life. If you are thinking about suicide, please contact these special numbers for help: In Iran: Social Emergency 123, Consultant Voice 1480, or Tehran Psychiatric Emergency 44508200; In the USA: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 18002738255, or National Crisis and Suicide Prevention Line 988; In Canada: 911 or 18334564566; In the UK: 116123; and in Afghanistan: 119. The Dadban account on X, which introduces itself as a 'consultation and legal education center for activists', reported on the suicide of Arzu Khavari, a 16-year-old student in Shahr-e Rey, stating that pressure from school officials and threats of expulsion were significant factors in this act. On Tuesday, November 15, Dadban identified Arzu Khavari, a 16-year-old Afghan resident of Shahr-e Rey in Tehran, and reported that she was a student at Kowsar School in District 20, where she had been repeatedly threatened with expulsion by school officials, which led to her suicide on November 13. According to Dadban, the threat of expulsion began after a student camp where students removed their manteaus and disregarded school officials' warnings by wearing sweatshirts. Following this incident, the school principal summoned Arzu's family due to her 'wearing jeans and removing her manteau' and threatened her with expulsion. This threat severely destabilized Arzu's mental state, leading to her suicide. The report states that after this incident, the school made no effort to comfort other students and did not even send a condolence message in the school's virtual group. The father of the deceased student recounted in an interview published on Tuesday, November 15, by Rokna News Agency: 'My daughter Arzu went to the school camp on Saturday, and the school called to inform us about her actions. Instead of wearing the uniform pants, she wore jeans, and half an hour later, the principal called again to say that Arzu had left the school at 4 PM without coordination, and we have no news of her.' Arzu Khavari's father stated that in the next call, school officials asked the family to go to the hospital, adding: 'I went to the hospital and found my daughter's body. I learned that Arzu had died after falling from a building where her friend's house was located.' He also noted: 'We filed a complaint against the school officials at the police station in Shahr-e Rey; we complained about the school principal. This was not the first time they mistreated my daughter. Last year, they tried to prevent her registration for reasons such as why she has many friends or why some of her hair is showing.'

🌐

Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →

Translation confidence: 85%

📰 Related Coverage

⚖️ Independent Platform — Artesh.com is not affiliated with any government, military, or political organization. Editorial Policy →