Poisoning of girls in Iran: UN and Germany demand answers

“We are very concerned about allegations that girls are deliberately attacked in what appear to be mysterious circumstances,” said Human Rights Office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani.

“The information about the poisoned students in Iran is shocking,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock tweeted shortly before. “All cases must be clarified,” she stressed.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported, in turn, that it is in contact with Iranian health authorities and health professionals to address the issue.

The agency is also using “other means to better understand what happened to have better evidence,” said its spokeswoman, Margaret Harris.

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Hundreds of cases of respiratory poisoning in girls aged around 10 have been reported by the Iranian press. They have taken place in schools in Qom since the end of November. Some girls had to be hospitalized.

The government reported new cases this week, this time in the capital, Tehran.

Iranian authorities said these poisonings were being caused byor individuals who oppose girls' schooling, but so far no one has been arrested.

The attacks are provoking another wave of indignation in the country, where the authorities' silence was criticized despite the increasing number of institutions affected.

(Source: AFP)

Curto Curatorship:

• Who is behind the cases of poisoned girls in Iran? (DW)

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