Video Allegedly Showing Officer Groping Woman Sparks Further Outrage In Iran

By RFE/RL's Radio Farda

A video appearing to show an Iranian riot police officer groping a woman as he and others try to force her on a motorcycle has sparked further outrage as protesters across the country demonstrate against a lack of women's rights highlighted by the death of a young woman while in police custody for allegedly wearing a hijab improperly.

The video, which has not been independently verified, appears to show a man grabbing a woman's buttocks as a group of security agents try to force her on to a motorcycle.

After resisting, she falls off and the security agents ride away.

Two days have passed since the release of the video, but authorities in the Islamic republic have yet to publicly comment on it.

Anti-government protests have erupted throughout Iran over the death in custody of Mahsa Amini on September 16.

Young women have been on the front lines of the unrest, shouting anti-government slogans, removing their head scarves, and facing off with security forces in the streets.

On October 13, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network, a group that monitors Kurdish-inhabited areas of western Iran, announced the arrest of 19 protesters by security forces in the cities of Sanandaj, Marivan, Ilam, and Saghez.

“At least 37 other protesters were injured in different cities,” the group added.

Iran's Children's Rights Protection Society says at least 28 children have been killed in a crackdown by security agents on the protesters, including many from the underprivileged province of Sistan-Baluchestan and Kurdistan, where Amini was from.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei once again lashed out at the protesters on October 14, comparing the Islamic republic to an unshakable tree.

"The Islamic republic has become a stout tree that makes it wrong for anyone to even think of cutting it," Khamenei said.

Despite the crackdown and threats of even harsher reactions by security forces, activists continue to call for people to take to the streets in what has been the biggest wave of unrest and violence seen in the country for years.

Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda