In Tehran, a woman is said to have been arrested because of an improperly fitting headscarf and later died in hospital. The police speak of heart problems, police violence is suspected on social media.
In Iran, a 22-year-old died in a hospital a few days after being arrested by the religious police. A family member told the Iranian online portal Etemad on Friday. The Fars news agency also reported on the death of the woman, who had been in a coma in the capital Tehran since Tuesday.
The public prosecutor’s office in Tehran had previously announced an investigation. Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi instructed the Interior Ministry to investigate the background.
The case is being discussed on social media and in parliament
The case sparked outrage on social media. According to the police, the woman was arrested in Tehran on Tuesday and taken to a police station. There, according to the official version, she developed heart problems and was taken to the hospital, where she fell into a coma. The incident was presented differently on the Internet. The woman is said to have been arrested initially because her headscarf did not fit properly. After protesting against her arrest, she was taken to the police station by the police. There she was said to have been hit on the head, which led to a cerebral hemorrhage. The authorities vehemently rejected this statement.
The incident was also discussed in Parliament. Several MPs called for the police videos to be released to clarify the matter. Ex-President Mohammad Chatami also expressed criticism. Iran has had strict dress codes since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. In the metropolises and wealthier districts in particular, many women now see the rules as rather relaxed – to the annoyance of ultra-conservative politicians. The government under President Ebrahim Raisi and hardliners in parliament have been trying for months to enforce Islamic laws more strictly. The vice police sometimes enforce the dress code with violence.