Iranian schoolgirl reportedly in coma after morality police assault

An Iranian schoolgirl is reported to be in a coma after being assaulted by morality police officers on the Tehran metro.

Armita Geravand's arrest was first published by IranWire on Monday, with sources telling the outlet she suffered from "visible head injuries" and need to be resuscitated after arriving at Fajr Air Force Hospital in a comatose state.

The Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights later said the 16-year-old had been in a coma since Sunday due to a "severe physical assault".

The arrest bears many similarities to the case of Mahsa Amini, whose death in police custody last September sparked the biggest anti-regime protests in its history.

Ms Gerawand's family, from the Kurdish city of Kermanshah, have been prevented from visiting her at hospital, Hengaw said.

A journalist who visited the site to report on the incident was detained by authorities.

Footage circulating on social media shows the young woman, who appears to be unconscious, being carried out of the metro carriage.

State news outlet Irna has reported she suffered a drop in blood pressure and published videos of her parents supporting official reports.

Rights groups have said her family have been pressured into denying she was beaten by morality police officers.

Hijab laws

Families of detained and killed protesters and regime critics are often subject to surveillance, threats and arrest for criticising Tehran.

Dozens of grieving relatives were arrested ahead of the first anniversary of the protests last month, including Mashallah Karimi, whose son was executed in January.

Iran has tightened hijab laws since the protests, which require women to cover their hair and wear loose-fitting clothes in public.

Women have been barred from their work and universities for not wearing the hijab, while Tehran's extensive metro system had also threatened a similar ban.

Passengers have reported being turned away from ticket gates for not wearing the hijab, while increased morality police patrols have been noted on the streets.

Last month, parliament passed a "hijab and chastity" bill that rights groups have condemned as gender apartheid.

Under the legislation, which is yet to be approved by Iran's Guardian Council, women face a 10-year prison sentence for not wearing the hijab.

The new legislation also states children can also be prosecuted, and toys must also conform to the law.

Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites

The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.

It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.

“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.

The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

What are NFTs?

Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.

You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”

However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.

This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”

This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.