Hengaw’s report on a teenage girl, a victim of mandatory “Hijab” in Tehran’s Metro in Iran
Armita Garawand, a 16-year-old girl, has been in a coma since Sunday, October 3rd, due to severe p
Hengaw, Tuesday, October 3, 2023
Armita Garawand, a 16-year-old girl, has been in a coma since Sunday, October 1rd, due to severe physical assault by the "Morality police officers in the Tehran Metro. She is currently under strict security measures at "Fajr" Air Force Hospital.
According to reports obtained by the Hengaw organization for Human Rights, on the morning of Sunday, October 1st, 2023, Armita Garawand, a 16-year-old originally from Kermanshah residing in Tehran, was physically attacked by authorities in the "Shohada" station at Tehran Metro for what they perceived as non-compliance with the compulsory “hijab”. As a result, she sustained severe injuries and was transported to the hospital.
According to an informed source, due to the extensive presence of security forces at “Fajr Hospital”, there are currently no visits allowed for the victim, not even for her family. A journalist who had visited this medical center to prepare a report was detained immediately by security forces. Maryam Lotfi, a detained journalist from “Shargh” newspaper, was subsequently released hours after the incident was published.
Ever Since the incident of Armita’s situation has gone viral, all state-affiliated media outlets have systematically denied the physical assault on this young girl, and government officials have claimed that no physical altercation has taken place. These claims are solely based on a short, cropped video from an exterior angle of the train.
Moreover, state-run media, citing Tehran Metro authorities, claim that Armita Garawand has fainted due to low blood pressure. which, given the circumstances and heavy security presence at the hospital and the denial of visitation, has raised public concerns about the possibility of a recurrence of the Jina Amini scenario.
On the other hand, during the past two days, there has been no news from Armita Garawand's family, including her father, Bahman Garawand, and her mother, Shahin Ahmadi, indicating intense security control over the family to prevent any form of communication with the public.
