Admitted to hospital

Woman in Iran protested naked on the hood of a police car

In Iran, a woman has protested naked on the hood of a police car. The Iranian newspaper "Shargh" reported that she had wanted to resist arrest. She was admitted to hospital.

The exact background was initially unclear. Security forces shielded the busy scene from view. Videos of the night-time street scene in the metropolis of Mashhad were hotly debated on social media. The woman's husband asked that the video footage not be disseminated. She had been undergoing psychological treatment, he said.

Media and activists interpret the case as a protest. It is reminiscent of a similar action at the beginning of November, when a female student stripped down to her underwear on campus in the capital Tehran. Strict dress codes apply in the Islamic Republic, which the younger generation is increasingly ignoring. Moral guardians are responsible for ensuring that the regulations are adhered to.

One of these regulations is the obligation to wear a headscarf. Those who undress completely risk severe penalties. The nationwide protests against the government and for self-determination began in the fall of 2022.