KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A 16-year-old girl from Afghanistan reportedly took her own life in Iran after being threatened with expulsion from school for not adhering to the mandated hijab during a field trip.
As reported by Iranian news outlets, the young girl, Arezo Khavari, jumped from the sixth floor of a residential building in Tehran on Sunday, November 3, after her school’s principal threatened her with expulsion.
She sustained severe injuries in the incident and was transported to a nearby hospital, where she later passed away.
Iranian officials have confirmed the incident, saying that they are investigating it with the relevant institutions.
An Iranian organization, Dadban, quoted its sources, explaining that the girl was threatened with expulsion by her school principal for wearing jeans instead of the school uniform during a field trip.
According to the organization, the day before the incident, the school principal also contacted the girl’s parents, summoning them to discuss the matter and warning that they must appear the following day, or their daughter would be expelled from school.
The organization stated that the threat of expulsion was so serious it severely impacted the young girl’s mental state, leading her to take her life soon after.
According to the Iranian 7Sobh news agency, the girl’s father has held the school authorities, particularly the principal, responsible for his daughter’s suicide and has filed a complaint against them.
He told the news agency that this was not the first time his daughter had been mistreated by the school authorities, and such behavior had been ongoing.
For decades, Iran has hosted millions of Afghan refugees fleeing conflict, persecution, economic constraints, and political instability in their home country. According to the UN, approximately 4.5 million Afghans live in Iran, with 71% being women and children.
Afghan migrants in Iran face widespread challenges, including mistreatment and humiliation from both authorities and ordinary Iranians. They are not permitted to work or run businesses, and in some areas, their children are not allowed to attend school, while they are also prohibited from going to parks, renting apartments, or even buying groceries.
Additionally, in recent months, the Islamic Republic has intensified its forced deportation of Afghan migrants, sending thousands back to Afghanistan, where most had fled from Taliban retaliation.
Recently, the head of the Iranian Police said that the country plans to expel up to two million Afghan migrants this year
