Torture In ‘Psychiatric Unit’: Student Who Stripped In Protest To Iran’s Dress Code, Right Group Says

In a troubling turn of events, a female university student from Iran, Ahoo Daryaei, has been admitted to a psychiatric facility after a video of her walking around in her underwear at the Islamic Azad University in Tehran went viral. The video, which showed her defying the university’s strict dress code regulations, has sparked widespread concern about her well-being, especially after reports surfaced claiming that she may be enduring torture while in custody.

Detained After Dress Code Protest

The incident took place at the university, where the student, reportedly protesting after being physically assaulted by campus security, was detained. Ahoo Daryaei’s actions were seen as a defiant protest against the strict dress code enforced on female students in Iran. According to university spokesperson Amir Mahjob, she was found to be under “severe mental pressure” when she was detained by security personnel.

Following her arrest, Iranian authorities declared her mentally unfit, labeling her a “troubled individual.” The government further stated that she had been transferred to a treatment facility after her detention, but details about the facility’s location have been withheld. A government spokesperson, Fatemeh Mohajerani, suggested that the government views the matter not as a security issue but as a social problem needing “treatment.”

Human Rights Groups Express Alarm

Human rights organizations, however, are deeply concerned about the conditions Daryaei might be facing. Amnesty International has expressed grave concerns, citing evidence that detainees in such facilities are often subjected to torture, including electric shocks and beatings. The Center for Human Rights in Iran has called the transfer to the psychiatric facility a “kidnapping,” asserting that the Iranian government frequently uses involuntary psychiatric hospitalization to silence dissent, painting protesters as mentally unstable to discredit their actions.

Amnesty International also fears that Daryaei could be enduring physical and psychological abuse in the psychiatric unit under the guise of treatment. Human rights groups have called for her immediate release and transparency regarding her treatment.

Iranian Authorities Downplay Situation

Despite the concerns raised by human rights organizations, the Iranian government continues to downplay the seriousness of the situation. In her remarks, Fatemeh Mohajerani emphasized that the government is not treating the issue as a security matter, but rather as an individual case needing social and medical intervention. She further stated that it was too early to discuss Daryaei’s return to university and that her treatment must be completed before any further steps can be taken.

The fate of Ahoo Daryaei remains uncertain, and human rights groups continue to monitor the situation closely, calling for immediate action and accountability from the Iranian authorities.