Female university student arrested in Iran after disrobing in apparent hijab protest

Nov. 3 (UPI) -- A female student at an Iranian university has been arrested after reportedly stripping off her clothes in protest against the Islamic regime's strict dress code.

In a video widely circulated online, the woman is seen in her underwear with her head uncovered. She is sitting near steps on campus of Tehran's Islamic Azad University before she stands and walks about with her arms crossed.

Amir Mahjoub, director general of public relations at the university, confirmed in an online statement that the student had been arrested on Saturday for performing an "indecent act."

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"The motivation and reasons for this student's action are under investigation," Mahjoub said.

He later stated the student told police under questioning that she had been "under severe mental pressure and had a mental disorder."

Iran International, citing a student group on Telegram, reported that the student disrobed after her clothing was torn by security forces harrassing her for not wearing a headscarf.

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Amnesty International, which also circulated the video of the incident online, called on Iranian authorities to release the unidentified woman "immediately" and without conditions.

In a statement, it said that the woman had been "violently arrested" for her protest "against abusive enforcement of compulsory veiling by security officials" at the university.

"Pending her release, authorities must protect her from torture & other ill-treatment & ensure access to family & lawyer," it said. "Allegations of beatings & sexual violence against her during arrest need independent & impartial investigations. Those responsible must held to account."

Mai Sato, U.N. special rapporteur on Iran, said she was "monitoring this incident closely, including the authorities' response."

The incident comes as Iran has intensified its persecution of women, specifically through compulsory veiling in public, since at least April, according to Amnesty International, the United Nations other similar organizations.

The so-called Noor Plan encourages, sanctions and endorses human rights violations against women and girls for disobeying mandatory hijab laws, a United Nations' independent fact-finding mission on Iran said in mid-September.

The crackdown is retaliation for the Woman, Life, Freedom protests that bordered on an uprising that swept across Iran two years ago in response to the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after being detained for violating the hijab laws.

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According to the United Nations, at least 551 people were killed during the first year of the protest, including 68 children and 49 women.