Hijab law enforcement begins in Iran despite UN Criticism

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Staff Writer
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The Iranian government has officially begun enforcing the compulsory Hijab dress code for women and girls who do not comply, as part of a new Chastity and Hijab Plan.
The Iranian government has officially begun enforcing the compulsory Hijab dress code for women and girls who do not comply, as part of a new Chastity and Hijab Plan.

 

The Commander in Chief of the State Security Force, Ahmadreza Radan, announced on April 8 that the force would begin dealing with women who removed their Hijab in public from April 15, with violators reported to judicial authorities.

The United Nations (UN) has criticized the enforcement of the Hijab laws, calling it “gender-based persecution.” The UN experts have said that such repressive and draconian measures are a manifestation of gender-based persecution and would lead to unacceptable violations of the rights of women and girls in Iran.

 

The State Security Force has deployed CCTV cameras to identify women who breach the law. On April 10, the Judiciary Chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, ordered all judicial authorities to be prepared to support and cooperate with the plan.
The State Security Force has deployed CCTV cameras to identify women who breach the law. On April 10, the Judiciary Chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, ordered all judicial authorities to be prepared to support and cooperate with the plan.

 

The experts warned that the additional restrictive and punitive measures on women and girls who failed to comply with the compulsory veiling laws would result in further negative impacts.

The UN experts pointed out that compulsory veiling laws are enshrined in Iran’s penal code and other laws and regulations, which allow security and administrative authorities to subject women to arbitrary arrests and detentions and deny them access to public institutions, including hospitals, schools, government offices, and airports if they do not cover their hair.

 

The discriminatory measures, they say, allow judicial authorities to detain women and girls who do not comply with the Hijab rules to force them to sign a written document stating they will not repeat the offense.
The discriminatory measures, they say, allow judicial authorities to detain women and girls who do not comply with the Hijab rules to force them to sign a written document stating they will not repeat the offense.

 

The UN experts have urged Iranian authorities to amend the Constitution, repeal existing gender-discriminatory laws, and abolish all regulations whereby women’s dress or behavior is considered a crime. The Iranian government has already started giving verbal warnings to women who do not cover their hair in metro stations, preventing them from entering airports and banks.

The rules extend to managers and business owners, who will act as “police” to enforce the compulsory veiling in the event of non-compliance by female employees. The UN experts have called on the international community to support Iranian women and girls in their struggle against gender-based persecution and to hold the Iranian authorities accountable for their human rights violations.

 

The situation is worrying after months of nationwide protests, including against restrictive Hijab laws, and following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police.

 

 

 

MEK Iran (follow us on Twitter and Facebook), Maryam Rajavi’s on her site, Twitter & Facebook, NCRI  (Twitter & Facebook), and People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran – MEK IRAN – YouTu

 

 

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