Iranian Police Sexually Assaulted A Woman Protester In Public While They Were Trying To Arrest Her
A video showing Iranian security forces sexually assaulting a woman protester while trying to arrest her has gone viral, causing fury on social media.
A video showing Iranian security forces sexually assaulting a woman protester while trying to arrest her has gone viral, causing fury on social media.
The video, which BBC Persian verified, was captured at a protest in Tehran’s Argentina Square on Wednesday Oct. 12 sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini.
In it, a group of officers can be seen surrounding a woman on a road, before one proceeds to grab her by the neck and push her towards one of the officer’s motorbikes.
Another officer is then seen putting his hand on her bottom.
The woman reacts and crouches to the ground as more officers surround her.
“They are pulling her hair,” a woman behind the camera is heard saying, according to the BBC.
Drivers in nearby cars then start honking their horns, an act of protest that has been happening in similar situations, according to the BBC.
The woman, who does not appear to be wearing a headscarf, then gets up and runs away.
“Look at [the security officer], he is laughing,” the same woman behind the camera is heard again.
Tehran police said they are investigating the incident, without giving details around the incident, state news agency Irna reported.
Reports of police violence and brutality have been widespread since the protests began after the death of 22-year-old Amini, who died after she was arrested by “morality” police over allegedly breaking Iran’s mandatory hijab law.
In recent weeks, two teen girls, Nika Shakarami and Sarina Esmailzadeh, have also emerged as faces of the protests, after they were both allegedly killed by security forces after attending protests.
