Iranian teenager girl 'brain dead' after alleged hijab violation encounter

An Iranian teenage girl who lapsed into a coma earlier this month following an alleged encounter with authorities regarding her violation of the country's hijab law is reportedly in a "brain-dead" state, as reported by Iranian state media on Sunday.

The situation was initially made public by human rights groups such as Kurdish-Iranian Hengaw, who shared images of the 16-year-old girl on social media. These photos showed her unconscious, connected to a respiratory tube, and with a bandage on her head, indicating she was on life support.

Reuters was unable to independently confirm the authenticity of these images.

According to state media, the latest health assessments for Geravand suggest that she is, unfortunately, brain-dead, despite the dedicated efforts of the medical staff.

This situation has raised concerns among human rights advocates, with parallels being drawn to the fate of Mahsa Amini, whose death in the custody of morality police last year triggered nationwide anti-government protests, posing a significant challenge to Iran's clerical rulers.

Iranian authorities have denied any harm coming to Geravand following an altercation with officers on October 1, relating to the enforcement of the mandatory Islamic dress code within the Tehran metro.

Since the popular revolution in 1979, which removed the secular and Western-backed Shah from power, Iran's theocratic establishment has imposed strict regulations on women's attire. Women are legally required to cover their hair and wear long, loose-fitting clothing. 

Violations of these dress code rules can result in public admonishment, fines, or even arrests. In the wake of Amini's tragic death, more women have been publicly defying the stringent Islamic dress code, appearing unveiled in various public spaces such as malls, restaurants, and shops across the country.