Iranian Court Drops Charges Against Student Protesting Dress Code

An Iranian court has not pressed charges against a student who staged a protest at a university by removing her clothes in defiance of the country’s strict dress code laws. The incident, which took place in early November 2024, saw the student walk around in a semi-nude state at the university, leading to her arrest by the police.

According to a report by Voice of America citing AFP, judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir confirmed in a press conference that the student had been sent to a hospital after it was found that she was ill. Following medical evaluation, she was released into the custody of her family.

The protest gained significant attention when a video showing the semi-nude student sitting on stairs inside the university went viral on social media. A later video showed her being arrested by the authorities. The university’s spokesperson, Amir Mahboob, stated on X (formerly Twitter) that the police and medical teams confirmed the student was experiencing mental health issues and was under severe stress.

Reports suggested the student might be transferred to a psychiatric hospital for further care. This incident comes amid growing protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022, after she was detained by Iran’s morality police for allegedly violating the hijab laws. The protests led many women to remove their hijabs in protest against the country’s dress code laws.