A video widely shared on social media in Iran is sparking outrage over the country's religious police and the abuses they commit against the population. The video shows some agents brutally dragging a 14-year-old girl into a police car on the street in the capital Tehran and taking her away. The girl, Nafas H., and a peer of hers, who was also arrested, were not wearing the veil. Women are required by law to wear the veil in Iran. The sometimes violent action of the morality police against offenders is a controversial issue and the latest incident was immediately condemned by opposition politicians.
"How long will it take to understand that this policy of the Islamic dress code has failed and will only lead to further discontent?" wrote Asar Mansuri, leader of the reformist Ettehad Mellat party, via social media. The video has overshadowed the news regarding the threat of war and the clash with the arch-enemy, Israel, on social platforms. Many users wrote that the Islamic system should be ashamed of treating a young girl this way. "You don't have the courage to attack Israel, but you have the courage to attack a young girl," is one of the comments read on X.
New Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has also been called to account. During the election campaign he had criticized the morality police checks and promised to stop them immediately. The incident happened last month. However, the video, recorded by traffic police cameras, only went viral last night. The girl's mother now wants to sue the authorities. Her daughter was injured during the arrest and had to be hospitalized. "She's still a child, this is brutality," the mother told the Tejarat News portal.
