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Summary
Iranian student Ahoo Daryaei strips down to her underwear after being harassed by members of the Basij as a protest from the mandatory Hijab law.
An Iranian student’s protest at Tehran’s Islamic Azad University has captured international attention on Iran’s compulsory veiling laws on women.
In a daring move, the young woman identified as Ahoo Daryaei stripped to her underwear after being confronted for not wearing a hijab by members of the Basij, an Iranian volunteer paramilitary group, inside the university’s grounds. The officers tore off her headscarf and clothes, prompting her to protest outside the university in only her underwear.
The incident happened on Nov. 2, 2024, when university security approached the woman for failing to adhere to the hijab mandate. Rather than complying, she chose to resist by stripping down to her underwear and marching through the campus courtyard.
The incident, captured on video, quickly went viral on social media, sparking a wave of reactions worldwide and reigniting discussions on Iran’s hijab laws and the behaviour of the “morality police.”
The morality police are tasked with enforcing modesty according to Iran’s interpretation of Islamic Sharia law. They patrol public spaces, monitoring women’s attire and adherence to Islamic dress codes.
In the footage, the woman is seen walking through the courtyard of the university’s Science and Research Branch in her underwear, her hair uncovered and undeterred by the presence of security personnel. At one point, she sits outside the university; after that, she is forcibly bundled into a vehicle by several security guards
The university officials issued a statement saying the woman was “under severe stress and suffering from mental disorders and has been transferred to a medical centre.”
A prominent Iranian journalist and activist, Masih Alinejad, gave a different account on X.
“In Iran, a student harassed by her university’s morality police over her ‘improper’ hijab didn’t back down. She turned her body into a protest, stripping to her underwear and marching through campus—defying a regime that constantly controls women’s bodies. Her act is a powerful reminder of Iranian women’s fight for freedom. Yes, we use our bodies like weapons to fight back a regime that kills women for showing their hair,” she added.
Despite the widespread protests that erupted in September 2022 following the death of Jina Mahsa Amini, a young woman arrested for allegedly wearing her hijab improperly, Iran has persisted in enforcing strict dress codes for women. There have been strict dress codes for women in Iran, where hijab mandates have shaped women’s lives since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
It’s widely known that girls and women in Iran face harassment and even attacks when they do not adhere to the country’s strict interpretation of Islamic Sharia law. The law stipulates that women above puberty must wear head coverings and loose clothing in public, but enforcement has often been inconsistent, with little clarity on what counts as a violation.
Ahoo Daryaei has received widespread praise from social media users, who view her bold display as a symbol of feminism and a stand for women’s rights against the Islamic regime. Her protest is celebrated as an act of courage in the fight for women’s freedom.
