Iran’s judiciary chief warns of harsh punishment for women who defy hijab law.
Iranian women who dare to appear in public without a veil face severe consequences, according to Iran’s judiciary chief. Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said on Saturday that women who violate the mandatory hijab law will be prosecuted “without mercy” and punished for their “anomalous acts”, Iranian media reported.
Ejei’s statement came after the Interior Ministry reaffirmed the government’s strict enforcement of the Islamic dress code on Thursday. The ministry said that the hijab is “one of the civilizational foundations of the Iranian nation” and “one of the practical principles of the Islamic Republic” and that there would be no “retreat or tolerance” on the issue.
The hijab law was imposed gradually after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and in 1983 it became legally obligatory for all women and girls over the age of 9. Those who disobey the law can face public humiliation, fines, imprisonment, and up to 74 lashes.
However, many Iranian women have been challenging the hijab law since last September, when a 22-year-old Kurdish woman named Mahsa Amini died in custody of the morality police for allegedly breaking the hijab rule. Her death sparked nationwide protests that were brutally suppressed by the government.
Despite the risk of arrest, women have been seen without veils in public places such as malls, restaurants, shops and streets across Iran. Videos of women resisting the morality police have also gone viral on social media.
The hijab law has been used by the Iranian regime to control its citizens and to exclude women from various aspects of public life. Women who oppose the law are branded as having “bad-hijab” and are denied access to some sports stadiums, education opportunities, and workplace rights.
The anti-hijab movement in Iran has received support from protesters around the world who demand freedom and dignity for Iranian women.