Iranian student in underwear protest put in ‘specialised care centre’
Authorities say she suffers from ‘psychological fragility’; activists say other women opposing the system have been sent to such facilities
An Iranian student who stripped to her underwear in Tehran to protest alleged harassment over her clothing has been transferred to a centre of “specialised care”, the Iranian embassy in Paris said on Wednesday.
“The student in question suffers from psychological fragility and was transferred by an ambulance of the emergency social services to a specialised care centre,” it said, without giving further details about the centre.
Concern has grown over the whereabouts and welfare of the young woman, with activists worried authorities could confine her in a psychiatric institution.
The statement from the Paris embassy described her as a mother of two children who was separated from her husband.
“Once she has recovered she will resume her studies at the university. Although, of course, the final decision rests with the institutions concerned,” the embassy said.
Persian-language media outlets outside Iran have reported that university security guards harassed her over what she was wearing, ripping her headscarf and clothes. She then took most of them off in protest.
