Amnesty has called on the Iranian government to ‘immediately and unconditionally’ release a woman arrested for taking off her headscarf in public to protest the Islamic dress code enforced on women.
The unnamed woman was filmed standing on a pillar box in central Tehran, waving a white hijab in the air, in a video which later went viral.
Witnesses say the woman, a 31-year-old mother-of-one, was arrested shortly afterwards and has not been seen since.
The human rights organisation said in a statement to MailOnline that ‘Iranian authorities must immediately and unconditionally’ release her, describing her actions as ‘engaging in a peaceful protest against compulsory veiling (hijab)’.
Three eyewitnesses reported to Amnesty International that law enforcement officials arrested the woman on the spot, and transferred her to a nearby detention centre known as Kalantari 148.
No information about her fate and whereabouts has since been made available publicly, sparking fears about her safety and well-being.
Thousands of social media users have shared messages of support, dubbing her the ‘Girl of Enghelab Street’ after the area in central Tehran where she staged the protest.
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Three eyewitnesses reported to Amnesty International that law enforcement officials arrested the woman on the spot, and transferred her to a nearby detention centre known as Kalantari 148.
No information about her fate and whereabouts has since been made available publicly, sparking fears about her safety and well-being.
Thousands of social media users have shared messages of support, dubbing her the ‘Girl of Enghelab Street’ after the area in central Tehran where she staged the protest.
Three eyewitnesses reported to Amnesty International that law enforcement officials arrested the woman on the spot, and transferred her to a nearby detention centre known as Kalantari 148.