Armita Garawand, a 17-year-old Iranian high school student, whose tragic fate has captivated and moved Iran, has passed away after a controversial incident in the Tehran metro. “Armita Garawand, a student residing in Tehran, died after intensive medical treatment and 28 days of hospitalization in the special care unit,” said the Borna news agency, affiliated with the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Her death once again raises numerous questions about the morality police in Iran and has garnered intense national attention.
Mysterious Circumstances
Hailing from a Kurdish region, Armita had been hospitalized at Tehran’s Fajr Hospital since October 1 after being found unconscious in the capital’s metro. One week before her death, she had been declared “brain dead.” The details of her “collapse” remain unclear. A widely circulated video from metro surveillance services on social media shows the young high school student, without a headscarf, being evacuated after fainting in a metro car.
This tragic incident comes one year after the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian, who allegedly violated strict dress code rules imposed on women in Iran, leading to widespread protests. According to sources close to the family, Armita’s body is still at Fajr Military Hospital, surrounded by a significant presence of security forces.
Official Version vs. Rumors
Under the title “Contradictory Versions,” official statements strongly differ from unofficial testimonies. Authorities claimed that Armita had suffered from a “drop in blood pressure” and denied any “verbal or physical altercation” between her “and passengers or metro officials.” The Tasnim news agency, citing the “official opinion of doctors,” reports that the girl had “suffered a fall resulting in a brain injury, followed by continuous seizures, a decrease in brain oxygenation, and brain edema, after a sudden drop in blood pressure.”
However, some NGOs argue that the young high school student may have been seriously injured during an “assault” by morality police members. Faced with these conflicting claims, the reformist newspaper Ham Mihan urged authorities to “allow independent media to investigate” this event, emphasizing the need to “convince public opinion.”
Political Repercussions
Armita’s death does not go unnoticed in the halls of power. MP Ahmad Alirezabeigui recently expressed that the Parliament “should intervene” and “question the Minister of Interior” about the incident, highlighting its significance. The Iran Human Rights organization, based in Norway, stated, “From day one, the authorities have tried to hide the truth by transferring Armita to a military hospital, arresting journalists covering the story, and exerting intense pressure on her family.”
Tensions reached a peak when the Supreme Leader of Iran was directly implicated. Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, IHR’s director, asserted, “Ali Khamenei is personally responsible for Armita Garawand’s death until an independent international investigation proves otherwise.”
In response to these accusations, Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi attempted to reassure the public by stating that the authorities had “investigated the incident” and that “the situation was entirely clear.” However, he also expressed concern, saying, “Enemies do not want the country to be calm, and they always try to turn every incident into a controversy.” Only time will reveal the full truth behind Armita Garawand’s tragic death.
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