Radan Describes the Violent Arrest of Two Teenage Girls as 'Somewhat Unprofessional' Behavior by Officers

The Chief of Police of Iran reacted to a widely circulated video showing the beating of two teenage girls by morality police officers enforcing mandatory hijab laws, claiming that the girls had verbally abused the officers. On August 7, a video surfaced on social media depicting the violent confrontation between officers of the so-called 'Noor' plan and the two girls in Tehran, who were arrested by force for not wearing headscarves. In statements released on August 13, Ahmadreza Radan said, 'When the video was published, no one criticized the insults they hurled at our colleagues; no one mentions that these two ladies resisted, broke the law, and disregarded regulations.' He did not address the violence used during the arrest and beating of the two teenagers, stating instead that 'the officers' behavior was somewhat unprofessional.' This comes as the mother of one of the girls reported finding her daughter at the 'Ethical Security Police' with injuries to her face, swollen lips, a bruised neck, and torn clothes. The Tehran Police Information Center stated on August 8 that 'officers warned the two young women about inappropriate dress and hijab violations, which they responded to with insults.' It was mentioned that 'the treatment of these teenage girls was not within the framework of their standards,' and the case is under review by the judiciary and the police inspection unit. While the mother of 'Nafas' has filed a complaint against the officers involved in the Noor plan, the military prosecutor of Tehran Province announced that the officers present at the scene have been identified and legally summoned. The Noor plan, previously known as the morality police, has been linked to several deaths and severe injuries among women, although only a few cases have been reported in the media. Following the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022, the presence of morality patrols was temporarily halted, but it resumed under the new name 'Noor' in April of this year. The video of the beating of the teenage girls in Tehran is not the only instance of police violence that Radan refers to as 'unprofessional behavior.' Currently, a 31-year-old woman named Arzoo Badri is hospitalized in Noor County after being shot by police officers. Reports indicate that Badri and another female passenger in the car were not wearing the mandatory hijab while driving. The police chief of Mazandaran Province stated that Badri's vehicle was stopped on August 1 'using the law on the use of firearms.' The police have claimed in statements that she was 'fleeing' from them. BBC Persian reported that Badri is currently under strict security measures in the ICU of Vali Asr Hospital in Tehran and has been paralyzed due to the shooting by the police while driving, leaving behind two children. The police confirmed the continuation of Badri's injuries from the police shooting. Radio Farda is unable to independently verify this report. The official statements from the police do not mention the identity and details of this woman, but a video of the visit by the head of the police inspection unit and the police chief of Mazandaran has been officially released, showing her in the hospital bed.