Archive photo- The Iranian regime security forces (IRGC) arresting a young woman for “improper” veiling

On Tuesday, February 26th, a young woman was brutally beaten in an Iranian prison and tied to the rails in the hallway of the prison for several hours as reported by Irannewswire.org and a number of other outlets.

Arrested for Not Observing Hijab

The 25-year-old woman, known only as “Zahra,” was stopped and arrested on a street in central Khoy in West Azerbaijan Province on Sunday, February 24th for a violation of the mandatory hijab.  She was then taken in front of a judge, who transferred her to prison for “arguing” with him. It is not clear what the argument entailed.

Beaten in Prison

On Tuesday, February 26th, Zahra was helping another woman at the prison with her child at around 10 PM. A prison guard verbally abused her for “not observing the lights out” and claimed that she was being too loud.

Zahra argued with the guard, and then more guards arrived and brutally beat the young woman, despite the lack of physical threat posed by her. According to reports, the beating ripped Zahra’s clothes and dislodged her prosthetic leg.

Tied to Hallway Rail

After the violent beating, guards dragged Zahra to the prison hallway and tied her to the rails there. She was left in the hallway for five hours until other prisoners begged guards to release her and allow her to return to her cell to sleep.

Morality Police

Iranian women are often subjected to violence at the hands of the regime and its agents. Women found in violation of the mandatory hijab may be arrested or beaten in the street by the so called morality police. Last year a young woman was beaten in the street and dragged on the ground by morality police after she was accused of improper veiling.

A bystander took a video of the incident, which shows the woman’s hair barely visible underneath her scarf. After the severe beating, her friend shouts that she has a heart condition and threatens to file a complaint against the female morality officer who carried out the attack. The officer responds, “You can’t do anything.”

An official of the theocratic regime claimed in January that allowing Iranian women to choose their clothing would lead to the end of the regime.

Jafar Dolatabadi, Tehran’s Chief Prosecutor said, “The enemy is trying to turn chastity and the hijab into a choice.”
He continued, “Therefore they have instigated some people to take off their hijab, trying to make their plans operational, but they were met with the decisive approach of the judiciary and the police.”

The regime has refused to take action to make Iran a safe place for women. The regime parliament refuses to raise the marriage age or pass a law criminalizing domestic violence, claiming that both laws would destroy families.

The MEK and the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) believe that the women of Iran deserve better. Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the NCRI, has a ten-point plan for the democratic future of Iran that includes gender equality and separation of religion and state. The women of Iran have been denied their voices for forty years. The time has come for women to take back their freedom. The MEK is proud to be part of that effort.