2023-11-01 12:43:21
Members of the infamous “hijab police”, many individuals dressed in civilian clothes continue to patrol the streets of major Iranian cities, not hesitating to reprimand women for their dress and hairstyle. And in many cases, these police officers are not content with simple warnings, they resort to verbal or physical violence against those who resist.
The latest example, put forward by human rights activists: that of Armita Geravand, a 16-year-old young woman of Kurdish origin, who died on October 28 after spending several weeks in a coma.
Two eyewitnesses claim that Armita was harassed by a policewoman in a hijab because her hair was visible. By falling during the altercation, the young woman allegedly hit the edge of the metro platform. For their part, state media attributed his loss of consciousness to a drop in blood pressure and… the absence of breakfast. To date, no legal action has been taken.
In jeans and a short-sleeved shirt
Morvarid, 25, works in a cafe in central Tehran where she has to wear a hijab. “Individuals who present themselves as hijab police often attack our café and others in the neighborhood, creating tension and threatening to close the establishment if the compulsory wearing of the veil is not respected. They do not hesitate to contact the police and some of our clients find themselves taken to the station in a van. » Once out of work, Morvarid walks around in jeans and a short-sleeved shirt, without a scarf. A courageous act which sometimes gets him into trouble.
However, insists lawyer Habib Barzegar, “Restricting access to public services to women who do not wear the hijab strictly constitutes a clear violation. Their rights are subject to the law, not to the arbitrary decisions of individuals or officials. » In many public places such as restaurants, shopping malls and some banks, government services prevent the entry of women who do not wear the hijab. And establishments deemed lax may be subject to closures or heavy financial sanctions.
“They harmed my dignity for no reason”
On social networks, recent videos show incidents in a city shopping center in Mashhad (north-east of the country). Clashes between clients and militiamen posing as civil servants broke out, according to a center official, over a question of improperly worn hijab. The fight started after one of these individuals slapped a young girl. During this altercation, the attackers attacked traders and employees with batons. Following this incident, some traders were arrested, but none of the attackers were prosecuted.
Last week, after training, a young basketball player went with his girlfriend to a neighborhood in Tehran when the couple was stopped by several police officers for the simple fact of walking together but also for their clothing. “The police started to insult me, says Danial. When I asked them to stop, they hit me in the chest, threatening to press charges against me. They harmed my dignity for no reason. But I cannot file a complaint to assert my rights. »
Citizens who challenge the actions of individuals presenting themselves as hijab police officers may in fact be accused of having “impeded the promotion of virtue.” Today, many fear the effects of the new law on chastity and the hijab, recently adopted by Parliament (read our benchmarks).
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Reinforced sanctions
On September 20, The Iranian Parliament has approved a bill that strengthens sanctions against women who do not wear the obligatory veil in public places.
This bill toughens penalties against anyone prosecuted for violating the strict dress code imposed on women.
It also provides for financial sanctions for the “promotion of nudity” or the “mockery of the hijab” in the media and on social networks, as well as fines and bans on leaving the country for business owners whose employees do not wear veils.
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