Teenage Girl in Critical Condition after Confrontation Over Hijab Law Raises Concerns of Another Tragic Outcome

Teenage Girl in Critical Condition after Confrontation Over Hijab Law Raises Concerns of Another Tragic Outcome
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An Iranian teenage girl, Armita Geravand, is currently in critical condition in a hospital in Tehran after falling into a coma. Two prominent rights activists have reported that Geravand's coma followed a confrontation with agents in the Tehran metro for violating the hijab law. This case has raised concerns that Geravand may face the same fate as Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died in a coma last year while in the custody of morality police, sparking widespread protests.

While authorities have denied claims that Geravand's coma was a result of the confrontation, the Iranian-Kurdish rights group Hengaw has posted a picture of Geravand unconscious in a Tehran hospital. Iran's interior ministry has not yet commented on the incident. The activists who provided the information chose to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the matter. According to CCTV footage shared on IRNA, Geravand was seen without the mandatory hijab accompanied by two female friends walking towards the train from the metro platform.

Upon entering the cabin, one of the girls immediately backed off and fell to the ground, while Geravand was dragged out of the cabin unconscious by other passengers. The authenticity of the footage has not been verified by Reuters. There have been reports of heavy security presence at the hospital where Geravand is receiving treatment. Geravand's parents have been forbidden by security forces from posting her picture on social media or speaking to human rights groups. Additionally, an Iranian journalist was briefly arrested when she went to the hospital to inquire about Geravand's condition.

The head of the Tehran Metro Operating Company, Masoud Dorosti, stated that the CCTV footage did not show any signs of conflict between passengers or employees. Iranian security institutions have claimed that Geravand's condition was caused by low blood pressure, a scenario that rights groups find dubious. Many social media users are calling on authorities to release the footage from inside the cabin to shed light on the incident.

The situation has garnered international attention, with Germany's Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, expressing her outrage on social media. Baerbock condemned the treatment of Geravand, stating, "Once again, a young woman in Iran is fighting for her life just because she showed her hair in the subway. It is unbearable." Baerbock emphasized that Geravand's parents have the right to be by their daughter's side during this critical time. The case of Armita Geravand is highly sensitive and has become a focal point for human rights activists both within Iran and internationally. As her condition remains critical, the world watches and hopes for her recovery, while demanding transparency and justice for her alleged mistreatment.


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