Maryam Keshavarz, Civil Activist and Mandatory Hijab Protester, Arrested

Maryam Keshavarz, a civil activist and protester against mandatory hijab, was arrested by officers of the Ministry of Intelligence at her private residence. According to a report by the Campaign to Defend Political and Civil Prisoners, she was arrested on Thursday, April 25, in front of her 9-year-old daughter’s eyes and was transferred to an unknown location.

An informed source told the campaign that based on videos circulated on social media, Ms. Keshavarz, along with Manirah Arabshahi and her daughter Yasmin Ariyani, were distributing flowers in the women’s section of Tehran Metro on International Women’s Day (March 8), and it is possible that the arrest was made for this reason.

On Wednesday, April 10, Yasmin Ariyani, an actress and civil activist, was arrested by officers, and one day later, on Thursday, April 11, her mother Manirah Arabshahi was also detained and sent to prison. It is said that the reason for the arrest of these two was marking International Women’s Day by distributing flowers to women in Tehran’s metro.

Last month in March, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo praised the efforts of Iranian women fighting against mandatory hijab at the “Courageous Women Award” ceremony at the U.S. Department of State. Mr. Pompeo also met with Masih Alinejad in February in line with “supporting the Iranian people and amplifying their voice.”