Know all the details about the arrest of the Iranian student Ahou Daryaei, whose arrest video went viral
At Iran’s Islamic Azad University, a young woman was arrested after reportedly removing her clothing down to her underwear in protest against the country’s strict Islamic dress code. Videos of the incident, shared widely on social media and covered by news outlets, show university security detaining her. The footage, originally captured by the Amir Kabir Newsletter—a student news source—has since been circulated by Persian-language media.
Who is Ahou Daryaei as Iranian student is arrested after her video went viral for protesting against improrer hijab at the Islamic Azad University in Iran
#آهو_دریایی #دختر_علوم_تحقیقات کجاست؟
Her name is #AhouDaryaei ,female university student who protested against Hijab in Iran in response to the morality police’s attack. Abducted by IRGC. Echo her voice& the fight for #WomanLifeFreedom https://t.co/OO0blBNvlP pic.twitter.com/zliqO9Yjww— Shiva Mahbobi (@shivamahbobi) November 2, 2024
It was observed that an increasing number of women began to defy authorities, removing their veils after a series of nationwide protests erupted following the September 2022 death of a young Iranian Kurdish woman, who reportedly lost her life while in the custody of the morality police for allegedly violating hijab regulations. Security forces responded with a forceful crackdown to suppress the uprising.
While the name of the girl hasn’t been officially revealed, according to reports on social media platforms, she’s 30 year old Ahou Daryaei meaning deer of the sea who is a Muslim by religion, a PHD candidate in French language and literature at the Oloom Tahghighat University. It is being claimed that the Iran government has now kept her in a psychiatric hospital near Tehran where many political prisoners are kept for punishment.
The Iranian student at Tehran’s Azad University who stripped in protest against harassment by Revolutionary Guards militias has been arrested, activist groups reported.
A video showing the student sitting in the courtyard of the university’s Science and Research Branch has gone viral.
A university official confirmed her arrest. “Following an indecent act by a student at the Science and Research Branch of the university, campus security intervened and handed the individual over to law enforcement authorities,” Amir Mahjoub, Director General of Public Relations at Islamic Azad University, wrote on X. “The motives and underlying reasons for the student’s actions are currently under investigation.”
It's as if brave hearts beat louder right when oppression is trying to tighten its grip. You have already become an icon. Your selfless act of defiance will lift countless others to dream and reach for stars! Free Iran! Free Iranian women! Woman, Life, Freedom!
byu/BaghaliPoloBaGardan inNewIran
Why the Iranian student was arrested?
A university spokesperson, Amir Mahjob, shared on X (formerly Twitter) that during her time at the police station, it became evident she was under significant mental strain and exhibited signs of a mental disorder. Furthermore, Iran’s Hamshahri daily referenced an “informed source” indicating that a transfer to a mental hospital for further evaluation could be possible.
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… pic.twitter.com/76ekxSK7bI
— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) November 2, 2024
The Amir Kabir Newsletter alleged that the woman was beaten during her arrest. In response, Amnesty International condemned her detention, calling for her immediate and unconditional release, while urging Iranian authorities to protect her from mistreatment and ensure access to her family and legal support. Amnesty also highlighted its ongoing documentation of alleged mistreatment of women in Iranian prisons, reiterating calls for stronger safeguards against torture and abuse.
: An eyewitness testimonial 🫒
“Today, around noon, in front of the entrance of Faculty Block 1, we saw a girl being grabbed by a mercenary Basij member for no reason and being taken away by force. I quickly went to see what was happening.
I saw she wasn’t wearing a face mask.… pic.twitter.com/FucncPNzEx
— Fa IRAN (@FaIranism) November 3, 2024
This incident echoes the mass protests that erupted in 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish Iranian detained for allegedly violating hijab rules. The protests saw women across Iran defy authorities by removing and even burning their headscarves, resulting in a severe crackdown that reportedly left 551 protesters dead and led to thousands of arrests.