15 October 2023
By Minseo Kim
In Iran, allegations have surfaced that a teenage girl fell into a coma after allegedly being assaulted by morality police over her hijab. Armita Garavand, 16, was on a subway in Tehran on October 1 when she was forcibly removed by others and placed on the ground by police, according to state media. Iranian authorities claimed it was due to "hypertensive shock," but a human rights organization claimed it was an assault. With these allegations gaining traction, there is growing speculation about whether the hijab protests that turned into large-scale anti-government demonstrations last year will resurface. ‘The United States is closely monitoring Garavand's situation,’ said Abram Palley, the US Deputy Special Envoy for Iran. ‘We stand in solidarity with Iran's and the world's courageous people.’ In response, Naser Khan-Agha, the Iranian Foreign Ministry's spokesperson, said, ‘Enough of interference in Iran and biased comments. Instead, concentrate on the patient's medical condition and concerns with medical teams from the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom.’
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