Tragic Loss: Iran's Armita Geravand Passes Away After Collapsing on Tehran Metro

A 16-year-old Iranian girl named Armita Geravand has passed away after falling into a coma following an alleged altercation with morality police. The incident occurred on October 1 when Armita collapsed on a Tehran metro train. Activists have accused the morality police of assaulting her for not wearing a hijab, but authorities claim that she fainted. State news agency Irna has reported that Armita died on Saturday morning due to brain damage. The youth ministry's affiliated Borna news agency stated that she had received intensive medical treatment for 28 days before her death. While there has been no immediate confirmation from Armita's parents, human rights group Hengaw, which focuses on Iran's Kurdish ethnic minority, reported that she became the latest victim of forced hijab and died after hospitalization. Hengaw has urged an independent medical team from Médecins Sans Frontières and the International Committee of the Red Cross to investigate her death, accusing the Iranian government of distorting the facts. This incident has drawn comparisons to the case of Mahsa Amini, who died in custody after being detained by morality police for allegedly wearing her hijab improperly. Anti-government protests have been ongoing since Amini's death. Iranian authorities have claimed that Armita hit her head against the platform's edge when she collapsed at Tehran's Shohada station, resulting in a coma and eventual death. However, Hengaw alleges that she fell into a coma after being assaulted by special officers enforcing compulsory hijab. The director of the Tehran metro previously denied any conflict between Armita and passengers or metro executives. CCTV footage released by Iranian authorities shows Armita boarding a train with her hair uncovered, followed by one of her companions leaving the train and bending down. Later, Armita is seen being carried by her arms and legs by other passengers before being laid down on the platform. No footage from inside the train or the station's entrance has been released. A photo shared by Hengaw on social media showed Armita lying in a bed with a bandaged head and a breathing tube. Last Sunday, she was declared brain dead, and her father stated that doctors had no hope of her recovery. According to Hengaw, Armita did not undergo any operations during her hospitalization due to her fragile condition.