Oct 28 (Reuters) – Armita Geravand, a 16-year-old Iranian girl, died after being in a coma for almost a month following an alleged confrontation with agents for violating the country’s hijab law, the official IRNA news agency reported on Saturday.
“Unfortunately, he fell into a coma for some time after suffering brain damage. He passed away a few minutes ago,” IRNA reported.
Geravand had been declared brain dead last week after falling into a coma on October 1.
The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in morality police custody in September last year sparked months of anti-government protests that became the biggest show of opposition to Iranian authorities in years.
Rights groups were the first to publicize Geravand’s hospitalization, posting photos on social media showing her unconscious and on life support, with a breathing tube and her head bandaged. Reuters could not verify the images.
Iran has denied that Geravand was injured after an Oct. 1 confrontation with officers enforcing the mandatory Islamic dress code in Tehran’s subway.
Women are required by law to cover their hair and wear long, loose clothing in Iran, where the Western-backed Shah was overthrown in a revolution in 1979.
Violators face public reprimands, fines or arrests. However, defying the strict Islamic dress code, since Amini’s death, more women have appeared unveiled in public places such as restaurants and shops.
(Edited in Spanish by Ricardo Figueroa)
Source: Ambito
