headscarf obligation
Iran brings back moral guards on streets
A woman walks down a street in Tehran with her hair loose. It’s actually forbidden in Iran. photo
© Arne Bänsch/dpa
Iran’s metropolises have changed since the protests last fall. Many women are now opposed to the headscarf requirement. Now the notorious guardians of morals are returning.
In Iran, the notorious guardians of public morals are returning to the streets to monitor the headscarf requirement. Across the country, units of the morality police are now to take action again with patrols on foot and in vehicles against violators, the Isna news agency reported on Sunday, citing a police spokesman. In recent months, many women in the country with almost 90 million inhabitants have ignored the Islamic dress code – also as a sign of silent protest.
After the demonstrations against the political and religious leadership last autumn, the notorious units disappeared from the streets of the big cities. In the meantime, the judiciary even indicated the dissolution of the morality police. The protests were triggered by the death of the Iranian Kurd Jina Mahsa Amini in September 2022. The young Woman died in police custody after being arrested for breaking dress code.
Brutally suppress emerging protests
The security apparatus then brutally suppressed the protests that ensued and executed seven demonstrators. Thousands were arrested. The leadership also had a draft law drawn up that Parliament is to vote on shortly. The law provides for new and harsh penalties for violations of the headscarf requirement – initially multiple warnings, for example by SMS. Fines, professional bans and, in extreme cases, even imprisonment are threatened.
Surveillance technology should be used primarily for control purposes. Photos published online showing women without headscarves are said to have consequences. Restaurants, museums or shopping arcades must expect closure if the obligation to cover the hair is violated there.
Controversial discussion about the dress code
The law has been the subject of controversy for months and has been criticized from many quarters. Influential conservatives are calling for even harsher penalties. Islamic clothing rules are a religious duty and violations of them are not an offence. Politicians from the reform camp, on the other hand, called for easing in response to the social upheavals.
Meanwhile, an actor has been arrested after criticizing the violent enforcement of the headscarf requirement. The actor Mohammed Sadeghi had published a video in which he criticized the violent crackdown on women who do not comply with the dress code.
Headscarves have been compulsory in Iran for more than 40 years as a result of the Islamic Revolution. Decades ago, numerous women demonstrated against it. The headscarf requirement is one of the ideological pillars of the Islamic Republic. This is one of the reasons why a relaxation or abolition is considered unlikely.