Top Belgian diplomat cuts hair in solidarity with protesters in Iran

By Agnes Szucs

BRUSSELS (AA) - Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib and two lawmakers cut their hair in the federal parliament as a gesture of solidarity with protesters in Iran.

During a debate on foreign affairs in the Belgian parliament on Thursday evening, Darya Safai, a lawmaker from the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) party, asked the government to respond to the “crackdown on widespread protest” across Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini.

The Iran-born Safai, who was wearing a traditional costume, cut locks of her hair as a sign of solidarity with Iranian protesters and women’s rights activists.

In response, Lahbib took her scissor and cut her hair as well.

Her example was followed by another politician Goedele Liekens.

In her speech, Lahbib asserted that Iranian “women can exercise their right to protest, but the reaction of security forces is disproportionate.”

She also noted that her government supports the idea of imposing EU-wide sanctions on Iran because of human rights abuses.

Amini died on Sept. 16 after being detained by the morality police in Tehran for an alleged violating of the dress code.

Since then, protests broke out in Iran and across the world in favor of women’s rights.

The Iranian government has not given an official casualty toll from the ongoing protests but international human rights watchdogs have put the death toll to more than 100.

According to a report published by Iran's Forensic Medicine Organization on Friday, Amini died as a result of cerebral hypoxia due to sudden heart rhythm disorder, decreased blood pressure and loss of consciousness, and insufficient oxygen to the brain.