An Iranian teenager who fell into a coma after being allegedly beaten by Iran’s morality police – for not wearing a hijab, headscarf – has been declared “brain dead”, Iranian state channel Tasnim said.
Armita Geravand, 16, was hospitalized with head injuries following the attack at a Tehran metro station earlier this month, activists said, just weeks after Iran passed legislation imposing harsh penalties on women who violate its laws. already strict rules on the use of hijab in the country.
“Follow-ups on Armita Geravand’s latest state of health indicate that her condition of brain death appears certain, despite the efforts of the medical team,” the state agency reported on Sunday (22), without providing a source for the information.
In early October, the Norway-based Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, which focuses on Kurdish rights, pointed out that Geravand was assaulted by the Iranian morality police and then fell into a coma. The IranWire news website said Geravand was admitted to hospital with “head trauma”.
Awyer Shekhi, a Hengaw employee, previously told CNN that female morality police officers approached Geravand near Shohada metro station and asked her to adjust her hijab.
This request resulted in an argument with the morality police who attacked her. Iranian authorities deny the allegations, saying Geravand was hospitalized for an injury caused by low blood pressure.
Geravand’s friends and family agreed with the government’s official version in interviews, although it is unclear whether they were coerced into doing so. UN officials and human rights groups have previously accused Iranian authorities of pressuring the families of dead protesters to make statements supporting the government’s narrative.
Iran’s parliament approved in September a law called the “hijab law” on the wearing of clothing – which if violated can lead to up to 10 years in prison – following the first anniversary of the mass protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini.
Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman, died last month after being detained by the morality police, allegedly for failing to respect the country’s conservative dress code.
Reporters arrested
On Sunday, Iranian authorities arrested two journalists who first covered Amini’s death.
Niloofar Hamedi, who worked for the reformist newspaper Shargh, was sentenced to a total of 13 years in prison on charges that included “cooperation with the hostile United States government” and “collusion to commit crimes against the security of the country,” he said.
Elaheh Mohammadi, who worked for the reformist newspaper Ham-Mihan, was sentenced to a total of 12 years in prison on similar charges, according to Mizan.
Last year, Iranian intelligence accused Hamedi of using his role as a journalist as a cover to stir up dissent.
Hamedi’s husband, Mohammad Hossein Ajorloo, said the verdict was announced on his birthday.
“These verdicts are a wrong response to the honest and honorable efforts on the part of Niloofar and Elaheh. We hope that these sentences are overturned and that Niloofar and Elaheh are released as soon as possible”, he posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Sherif Mansour, Middle East and North Africa program coordinator for the protection of journalists, said the convictions “are a sham and serve as a reminder of the erosion of freedom of expression and the Iranian government’s desperate attempts to criminalize journalism.” ”.
See the moment the young woman is rescued:
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