Iranian Woman Released After Hijab Protest

Ahoo Daryaei, an Iranian woman who stripped down to her underwear in protest against mandatory hijab laws at Tehran's Islamic Azad University, has been released without charges by Iranian authorities. Daryaei's act of defiance, which went viral online, occurred after she was allegedly assaulted by security forces for not wearing a headscarf. Iranian officials claimed she was 'sick' and had been hospitalized, a narrative criticized by activists as a tactic to delegitimize dissent by framing protesters as mentally ill. The judiciary spokesperson confirmed that no judicial case was filed against her, but this incident highlights ongoing repression of women's rights in Iran. Her protest follows a troubling history of state violence against women, notably the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody for similar offenses. Despite Daryaei's release, the Iranian government is reportedly opening a clinic aimed at re-educating women who defy hijab laws.