Shortly after the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, the police in Iran announced that they would take tougher action against violations of the controversial dress code. Authorities also monitor social media to see if women appear there without a headscarf.
Police announced a tougher crackdown on Wednesday in accordance with their “legal duties”, Mehr news agency reported. From Saturday, violations such as the headscarf requirement will be punished more severely during national inspections.
Fewer checks since autumn 2022
All citizens, but especially girls and women, are called upon to adhere to the “moral values” and “religious norms of society,” the statement continued. It was initially unclear to what extent the police in Iran wanted to control things. The infamous moral watchdogs had less strict control since the mass protests led by women in the autumn of 2022 – also because they encountered more resistance.
You must also wear a headscarf in the car
Instead, security authorities have increased the number of violations using video surveillance. For example, women’s cars were stopped after they were caught driving without a headscarf several times. Authorities also monitored online violations, usually involving images of women without headscarves on Instagram. Shops and restaurants whose customers ignored the dress code were closed.
Since autumn 2022, more and more Iranian women have been ignoring the strict dress codes. Religious hardliners are trying to combat this. A new law imposes draconian penalties. The reform has already been adopted by parliament, but has not yet entered into force. In the coming weeks, a revised version will be presented again to the so-called Guardian Council, an ultra-conservative monitoring body.
The death of an Iranian woman in police custody sparks protests
The protests were sparked by the death of the young Iranian Kurdish woman Jina Mahsa Amini. Moral watchdogs had arrested the young woman for an alleged ill-fitting headscarf. A UN committee of experts concluded that physical violence after her arrest led to her death.
Source: Krone
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