A young Iranian woman has gained international attention after a video surfaced showing her removing her clothing in protest against harassment by Iran's morality police. The incident, which occurred two days ago at Tehran's Islamic Azad University, sparked widespread outrage as footage captured her being forcibly taken away by men in plain clothes and driven to an unknown location.

Reports suggest that the woman was harassed by members of the Basij paramilitary group, who allegedly tore off her headscarf and clothing. Despite the international focus on the incident, the woman's identity remains unknown. According to a post by the university's public relations director, Amir Mahjob, on X, the student—a mother of two, separated from her husband—was said to "have a mental disorder." The local newspaper Farhikhtegan also reported her admission to a mental health facility following the incident.

Two days later, her location remains unknown, with Amnesty International's Iran chapter calling for her immediate release. "Authorities must protect her from torture and other ill-treatment, and ensure access to family and lawyer. Allegations of beatings and sexual violence against her during arrest need independent and impartial investigations," the organisation demanded.

Mai Sato, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Iran, wrote on X that she would be "monitoring this incident closely, including the authorities' response".

In Iran, women are legally mandated to wear a headscarf and loose-fitting clothing in public. Violating these dress codes can lead to serious consequences, as seen in the high-profile case of Mahsa Amini, a young Iranian-Kurdish woman who was arrested in 2022 for allegedly breaching these rules. Her death in police custody ignited widespread protests across Iran, with women defiantly removing and burning their headscarves.

Iranian actress Hengameh Ghaziani joined the protest by taking off her hijab on Instagram, expressing solidarity with those seeking change.

The government’s response to these protests was severe, resulting in the deaths of more than 500 demonstrators. The morality police, or Gasht-e Ershad, established in 2006, enforces these veiling laws that date back to the 1980s. The unit patrols public spaces and has expanded its surveillance to schools and universities, closely monitoring women’s attire. In recent years, Iranian women have continued to challenge these restrictive laws by wearing fitted clothing or by showing their hair in public and on social media.