Mum and daughter arrested in Iran after being doused in yoghurt for not covering up

Authorities in Iran have arrested two women after a man attacked them with yoghurt for not completely covering their hair while entering a shop. A viral video of the incident shows the man confronting one of the women, who was not wearing a headscarf, and becoming increasingly enraged by her answers before taking a tub of yoghurt from a shelf and pouring it all over her hair.

He then turned to the second woman, who was wearing a headscarf that did not completely cover her hair, and poured the remainder of the tub on her head.

The women, thought to be a mother and daughter, are understood to have been arrested for failing to cover their hair correctly.

According to officials in the city of Mashhad, the man has also been given an arrest warrant for committing an insulting deed and disturbing public order.

The incident comes after crowds in Ireland attended a protest outside the Iranian embassy in Dublin holding flowers, signs and the Women, Life Freedom sign of the feminist movement in Iran.

Protestors held a vigil outside the Iranian embassy calling for the release of Bernard Phelan, whose family have raised concerns about his health and treatment.

The vigil for Mr Phelan, organised by his family and attended by his sister Caroline and 97-year-old father Vincent, was held to mark the 178 days he has spent in prison.

The 64-year-old dual Irish/French national is being detained in a prison in northeast Iran after his arrest in Mashhad in October 2022 while on a trip.

His family claim that he has been charged with “providing information to an enemy country”, which Mr Phelan denies.

Amnesty International has called for Mr Phelan’s immediate release and raised concerns about the prison sentence he received in February 2023.

The human rights group and Mr Phelan’s family have also raised concerns about his deteriorating health, with his relatives saying that he requires daily medication for several health conditions.

His family have said that his eyesight is also deteriorating, as he had an operation on both of his eyes before his trip to Iran and has not had any follow-up treatment.

Amnesty International has called on the Iranian authorities to grant him access to adequate healthcare, including all necessary medication and treatment.

His relatives have also stated he has been denied access to a lawyer of his own choosing since arrest.

“The authorities must also ensure that he is provided with regular phone calls to his family, access to a lawyer of his own choosing, and unhindered regular consular assistance from the Irish and French,” Amnesty said in a statement on Thursday.

“He must also be provided with translations, including of key case documents, so that he is able to fully understand his rights.”