A 16-year-old student, Arezo Khavari, took her own life after confrontations with school officials over not wearing a headscarf and threats of expulsion from school.
Arezo’s father has filed a formal complaint against the school officials and the principal. Pardis Rabiee, a women’s rights activist, reported that Arezo was very social and had many friends, according to some of her friends.
During a school trip on Tuesday, the assistant principal reprimanded Arezo for her attire. To ease tensions, Arezo even changed her trousers.
She had been wearing jeans that day and briefly removed her headscarf while playfully interacting with classmates, an act the assistant principal disapproved of. The assistant principal reportedly filmed Arezo and threatened to report the video to the principal, which could lead to her expulsion.
As an Afghan national, Arezo already faced challenges in enrolling at school. A source told IranWire, “One of Arezo’s classmates said that simply for removing her scarf and enjoying herself, she experienced intense stress.
The threat of expulsion as a non-Iranian made her extremely anxious. Throughout the trip, she vomited repeatedly from the overwhelming stress.”
When activist Pardis Rabiee questioned Mahnaz Qanbari, the school principal, about the incident, Qanbari responded they were awaiting the medical examiner’s report.
Hossein Raisi, a lawyer specializing in children’s rights, said, “This is not an ordinary suicide. For individuals under 18 who attempt or complete suicide, all contributing factors must be thoroughly examined.
Anyone who endangered the child, neglected their protection, or encouraged such an act bears criminal liability.”
Raisi also explained that under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, endangering a child constitutes criminal responsibility.
According to the Child and Adolescent Protection Law of 2020, those interacting with children—including school supervisors, principals, and teachers – have a duty to ensure a safe environment. Neglect, abuse, or encouraging self-harm creates a dangerous setting for which they are held accountable.
Arezo’s math teacher reported that, after returning from the trip, Arezo was called into the principal’s office. “She went in visibly distressed and later asked me, ‘Please pray they don’t expel me.’”
