On March 3, 2023, the media reported on suspected poison attacks affecting hundreds of girls at schools across several cities in Iran. The suspected poison attacks are said to have been lasting at least three months and are ongoing. While initially, the reports have been ignored and dismissed by Iranian authorities, the situation started changing as more and more schools were affected. Iranian authorities now suggest that they are intentional attacks. Reportedly, some 30 schools have been affected. Reports suggest that they are aimed at trying to close schools for girls in the country.
A demonstrator holds the Iranian during a demonstration organized by Iranian students at Piazza ... [+]
Reports of suspected attacks targeting girls’ schools add to the deteriorating situation of women and girls in Iran. Recent months have seen a downward spiral in lived experiences of many women and girls, especially following the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, after her arrest by the so-called “morality police.” Mahsa Amini’s death has sparked protests across Iran. Thousands of people have taken to the streets in cities throughout Iran, including Tehran, Ilam, Kermanshah, Mahabad, Sanandaj, Sari and Tabriz. They have been calling for accountability for Mahsa Amini’s death, an end to violence and discrimination against women and girls in Iran, and an end to their compulsory veiling. The peaceful protests have been met with excessive use of force, which resulted in several fatalities. Several women and girls have been killed in such protests. Among them are: Sarina Esmailzadeh, 16, who was allegedly beaten to death at a protest in Gohardasht in Alborz province on September 23, 2022; Nika Shakarami, 16, who was allegedly killed by Iranian security forces during a protest; and Hadis Najafi, 23, who was shot dead during a protest on the streets of Karaj. These are only a few names of those who paid the ultimate price for defending the human rights of women in Iran.
The suspected poisonings are said to have started occurring throughout Iran since November 2022. Their frequency is reportedly escalated with at least 26 schools being affected in a single day in March 2023. In total, since November 2023, at least 58 schools in eight provinces are said to have been affected. More than 1,000 Iranian students have fallen ill over the past three months with most common symptoms being respiratory problems, nausea, dizziness and fatigue.
Iranian authorities have opened a special investigation and confirmed the poisoning may constitute criminal and premeditated acts. While this response it welcome, Iranian authorities have failed to do anything to address the attacks against women and girls in the country for months. Commenting on the suspected poisoning, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom stated that, “extremist religious groups operating in the country support a ban on education for girls and women.”
The suspected poisonings require investigation and urgent response. Those responsible must be brought to justice. However, equally, more needs to be done to address the ever-growing attacks on women and girls in Iran and to ensure that their rights are affirmed and adequately protected. The trends of violence against women and girls in Iran, as seen in recent months, cannot be tolerated anymore.
