Iranian police have arrested a woman after photos of her and a friend eating in a cafe in Tehran without a hijab surfaced online, her family said.
The photo, which began circulating online on Wednesday, shows two women having breakfast in a cafe that, like most cafes in Iran, is traditionally patronized by men.
One of the women in the photo, Donya Rad, was arrested by police soon after. Her sister said security agencies have contacted Donya and asked her to explain her actions.
“They arrested him after the conversation. We didn’t hear from her for a few hours, and then Donya called me briefly and told me that she was put in Ward 209 of Evin prison,” said her sister.
Tehran’s Evin prison is known for its harsh conditions, the regime holds political dissidents there, and it is meant exclusively for prisoners under the responsibility of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence.
In recent days, security forces have reportedly arrested several influential Iranians, including writer and poet Mona Borzouei, Iranian soccer player Hossein Mahini and the daughter of former Iranian president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Faezeh Rafsanjani.
After Mahsa Amini’s death, protests began across the country and have continued for two weeks. The Iran Human Rights Organization estimates that at least 83 people, including children, were killed in the protests.
More than a thousand people linked to the protests have been arrested since last weekend.