Armita Garavand

Armita Garavand (April 6, 2006 – October 28, 2023)

Armita Garavand was an Iranian citizen who, on October 1, 2023, after an incident in the Tehran metro, lost consciousness and was admitted to Fajr Hospital, affiliated with the Army University of Medical Sciences, due to brain hemorrhage and skull bleeding. She fell into a coma and passed away after 28 days. She was an 11th-grade high school student in Tehran.

The exact circumstances of what happened to her in the train carriage are unclear, but evidence and conditions suggest that Guidance Patrol officers (morality police) may have harmed her. State media and officials claim there was no physical contact, while some media outlets, including Radio Farda, The Guardian, and IranWire, citing eyewitnesses, reported that shortly after Armita entered the Shahr-e-Shohada metro station, a female morality police officer argued with her over the compulsory hijab. When Armita resisted, the officer pushed her, causing her head to hit a metal pole, and she fell unconscious.

Early Life

Armita Garavand was born on April 6, 2006, in Kermanshah. She had an older sister, and her family was originally from the village of Sartorhan in Kuhdasht, Lorestan Province, who migrated to Tehran in the early 2000s. She was an 11th-grade student at the Arveh-ol-Vosoghi public high school in District 11 of Tehran.

Armita was a professional taekwondo athlete, starting in 2013, holding a Dan 3 belt. She was part of the "Anahid Razm" taekwondo team in Tehran and had a "Poom 1" belt. She was interested in Korean culture and a fan of the Korean music group BTS. She often drew and shared pictures of Jimin, one of BTS's main members, and copied the style and hair of Jimin and Jungkook.

Metro Incident

According to Farzad Seifikaran (Twitter): "Tonight, a high school girl was taken to Fajr Air Force Hospital after not wearing a headscarf with her friends in the metro. Officers confronted them and pushed the girl, causing her head to hit metal and lose consciousness. Currently, no one is allowed near her in the hospital." – October 1, 2023

Reports of Armita losing consciousness in the Tehran metro were first published on Sunday, October 1, 2023. Journalist Farzad Seifikaran of Radio Zamaneh first reported the story. While the exact events in the metro carriage remain unclear, circumstances led to accusations that morality police officers caused her injury.

Unofficial reports indicate that a teenage girl, along with friends, entered a metro carriage at Shahr-e-Shohada Station without wearing the compulsory hijab. After being pushed by officers, her head hit a metal pole, and she became unconscious. This account was later republished by Radio Farda, The Guardian, and IranWire, citing eyewitnesses.

Hospitalization

Armita Garavand was hospitalized for 28 days in Fajr Air Force Hospital in Tehran. During this period, no doctor reported on her condition. The hospital had a security-focused environment, and official news coverage was limited to IRNA. Independent journalists were denied access, and her family faced restrictions on sharing information.

During her coma, conflicting reports emerged. Hengaw and IranWire reported she was in a coma, and Faraz Daily initially reported the same based on her father’s statement. Images of her in intensive care were circulated, leading authorities to confiscate family members' phones. Teachers were threatened not to publish news or photos about her.

On October 3, Radio Farda reported that Armita had suffered brain hemorrhage and skull bleeding, which caused her unconsciousness. She remained in a coma, with no clear explanation provided.

Death

Armita Garavand passed away on October 28, 2023, after 28 days in intensive care. IRNA officially reported her death, stating that according to physicians, she suffered sudden blood pressure drop, head trauma, continuous seizures, decreased brain oxygenation, and brain edema. Human rights activists consider her a victim of an altercation with the morality police.

Funeral and Reactions

Her body was buried in Behesht Zahra Cemetery in Tehran under heavy security, during which security forces assaulted some attendees. Protests and graffiti honoring Armita were reported in multiple cities including Tehran, Karaj, Mashhad, Sari, and Shiraz. The 40-day memorial ceremony was held on December 6, 2023, with at least one person arrested.

After her death, her name trended on Twitter, drawing reactions from political, cultural, and civil figures. Many compared her death to that of Mahsa Amini and described it as a "government killing." Internationally, officials including German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly criticized Iran's handling and called for independent investigations. Amnesty International and the UN Truth Committee also demanded independent inquiries into the incident.