Iran’s Chief Prosecutor Calls Police Violence Against Women ‘Sensationalism’
Following widespread criticism of a police officer’s harsh treatment of a teenage girl in Tehran Park, Iran’s Chief Prosecutor has described such incidents as “sensationalism” and urged police not to “succumb to this sensationalism.”
Mohammad Jafar Montazeri, Iran’s Chief Prosecutor, said on Wednesday, June 3rd: “Norm-breakers should understand that with this sensationalism and by preparing videos themselves from the scene and immediately broadcasting them, they cannot tarnish the image of police.”
Some time ago, a video was circulated on social media showing a law enforcement officer forcibly dragging a girl toward a police vehicle.
Some eyewitnesses said these individuals, who were several teenage girls and boys, were engaged in “water play” in the park when they encountered police.
The violent police conduct in the video was accompanied by widespread protests on social media. Additionally, thirty members of parliament issued a complaint to the Interior Minister about this incident.
It was initially announced that two officers who used violence against the teenage girl had been dismissed and detained, but shortly thereafter, Tehran’s police chief announced that the detention of these officers had been suspended.
Police conduct with those they call “norm-breakers” has intensified in recent months, with circulated videos showing violent police conduct and beatings of people by police forces. Many of these individuals are arrested on the pretext of “improper hijab.”
In April of the current year, the U.S. State Department issued a statement strongly condemning severe repression of women’s rights activists in Iran and called for an end to harassment, persecution, and imprisonment of women seeking only their basic and fundamental rights.
Amnesty International also issued a report in June of the current year, and while describing the role of mandatory hijab in the daily lives of Iranian women and girls, noted the sometimes extremely violent conduct of morality police officers toward women who do not wear complete hijab.
Source: Voice of America
