Armita Geravand, Iranian teen allegedly assaulted by police, likely 'brain dead'

Armita Geravand, an Iranian woman who was left in a coma in the aftermath of an alleged assault on the Tehran metro by female police officers, is reported to be "brain dead", state media said on Sunday (Oct 22). She reportedly had an alleged encounter with officers over violating the country's hijab law.

The 16-year-old's condition was first reported on Oct 3 by Hengaw, which is a Kurdish-focused rights group. It said that she was critically injured during the metro incident.

The rights group was the one which had published photos on social media, revealing the state Armita was in who was seen unconscious with a respiratory tube and bandage over her head, visibly on life support.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

The Hengaw group was the one which initially claimed that she had been hurt in a confrontation with female police officers on the metro for allegedly violating the dress code for women.

Iran's state-affiliated Borna news agency said it "seems certain" that Geravand was "brain dead". The news agency had reported on Oct 11 that her condition had deteriorated.

As quoted by news agencies, state media reported, "Follow-ups on the latest health condition of Geravand indicate that her condition of being brain dead seems certain despite the efforts of the medical staff."

Meanwhile, state news agency IRNA reported that Geravand fainted because of low blood pressure, but several reports emerged claiming that she was assaulted.

Geravand was with friends and apparently not wearing a headscarf. Reports claimed that she was pushed into a metro carriage by female police agents.

The head of the Tehran metro has denied there was any verbal or physical altercation between the teenager and passengers or staff.

Watch:Iran journalists who covered Amini death get jail sentences

Another case after Mahsa Amini

The case was reported just over a year after the death of Mahsa Amini for allegedly breaching Iran's strict dress code for women. She was also a Kurdish-Iranian woman. Her death led to mass protests across the Islamic Republic.

Geravand hails from Kermanshah, a city some 500 kilometres from Tehran, but she lives in the Iranian capital.

Her condition sparked interest in the West, with both Germany and the United States raising concerns about the case after a purported video of the incident circulated on social media.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.