Outrage in Iran after woman whipped for refusing to wear hijab

Iranian authorities carried out the sentence against Roya Heshmati last Wednesday, prompting a torrent of outrage on social media.

Mazyar Tataei, Heshmati's lawyer, told local newspaper Shargh that his client was detained at her home in April by so-called morality police, who confiscated her mobile phone and laptop and placed her in detention for 11 days.

He added that initially, Heshmati was sentenced to 13 years and nine months in prison, a 112,500,000 rials fine and 148 lashes, but a review of the verdict brought the penalty down to 12,500,000 rials and 74 lashes.

Heshmati shared the story of her sentence on Instagram, prompting a flood of reactions.

The 23-year-old said that she removed her headscarf upon arriving at court to receive her sentence, throwing aside another that a group of female officers forcibly placed on her head. 

In a harrowing story, she said she was eventually handcuffed and forced to wear a headscarf, shackled to a bed in a room that resembled a "gruesome" medieval torture chamber and whipped on her shoulders, back, waist, thighs, calves and buttocks. 

Heshmati said she tried not to show pain during the ordeal, whispering the words "In the name of women, in the name of life, the clothes of slavery are torn, our black night will dawn, and all the whips will be axed...", while lashes rained down upon her and the shackles bruised her wrists.

She was subsequently taken before the judge while a female officer ensured her headscarf remained in place. She described her conversation with the judge on Instagram, claiming he told her she could leave the country if she wanted to live differently.

"This country belongs to everyone," Heshmati said. "Let the law do its job; we will continue our resistance."

She said