Protests have begun outside official buildings across Iran on Wednesday expressing outrage over recent acid attacks on women committed by a vigilante motorcycle gang, the International Business Times reported.
Over a dozen women have reportedly had sulphuric acid thrown on their faces and bodies in the last two weeks by a motorcycle gang suspected of targeting them for wearing tight clothing and not covering their heads according to the country's Islamic dress code.
In the cities of Isfahan and the capital Tehran, where the attacks have occurred, hundreds gathered outside government buildings to demand justice for the victims. The protests, a rare occurrence in the Muslim country, were sparked by pictures showing the victims in hospital beds covered in bandages that were released by the state news outlet IRNA, according to The Jerusalem Post.
One 28-year-old woman who was attacked almost caused a traffic accident when she lost control of her car.
"Everyone was shocked when they saw the young girl screaming 'I'm burned, I'm burned,' " IRNA reported according to the newspaper.
"The level of acid used was so much that all her clothes were in the process of melting and I saw the acid create white spots on the asphalt," a witness told IRNA.
Another woman allegedly received a text message from an unknown person threatening her with acid if she did not dress properly, according to the ITB.
Some Iranian officials, however, have accused news outlets like the BBC of spreading false rumors that the assailants are targeting women based on the way they were dressed.
"The sources of these talks was BBC Persian and then the Voice of America and other media outlets picked it up," MP Ahmed Salek said according to the IBT.
Iran's Interior Ministry and Isfahan officials have launched an investigation into the attacks. But there are conflicting reports as to how many suspects authorities have arrested. At least four men have so far been arrested, according to NBC News.
There are also reports that Iran's conservative parliament has been trying to pass a law offering protection to those who attack women for violating the Islamic dress code.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani denounced the bill that would side with the vigilantes.
"The sacred call to virtue is not the prerogative of a select group of people, a handful taking the moral high ground and acting as custodians," Rouhani said Wednesday according to Reuters. "It is upon all Muslims to exhort love, respect for other[s] and human dignity."
