A female university student in Iran, who reportedly stripped down to her underwear in an act of defiance, has been admitted to a psychiatric facility, raising concerns among human rights organizations about the possibility of her enduring torture within the institution.
Identified on social media as Ahoo Daryaei, the Iranian government has labeled her as mentally unfit and a “troubled individual” following the viral dissemination of a video showing her walking half-naked at the Islamic Azad University in Tehran. Security personnel at the university detained her, and Amir Mahjob, a spokesperson for the institution, stated on X that “At the police station, it was determined that she was under severe mental pressure and exhibited signs of a mental disorder.”
Following her detention, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani announced that Daryaei had been moved to a treatment center, although she did not disclose the location of the facility.
Amnesty International reported on Friday that it possesses evidence indicating that individuals arrested under claims of mental instability are subjected to electric shocks, torture, beatings, and chemical substances.
The unnamed female student was allegedly protesting after being physically assaulted by campus security for failing to adhere to the university’s dress code. The Center for Human Rights in Iran condemned her transfer to an undisclosed mental institution as “kidnapping,” asserting that “Iranian authorities systematically employ involuntary psychiatric hospitalization as a means to suppress dissent, labeling protesters as mentally unstable to diminish their credibility.”
The Iranian government does not perceive this matter through a security perspective, as stated by Mohajerani. Instead, he emphasized that the focus is on addressing the situation from a social standpoint, aiming to assist the student as an individual facing difficulties.
Mohajerani further noted that it is premature to discuss the student’s reintegration into the university. He referenced a video shared by her husband, indicating that she requires treatment, which must be finalized prior to any subsequent actions.
