Tehran ∙ As the popular movement for women’s freedom has spread to more areas beyond colleges and universities, the Iranian government is taking steps to cool down the movement. It is indicated that the Attorney General’s position that the religious police has no place in the justice system and the previous statement that Parliament and the judiciary will discuss and decide whether there is a need for a change in the law are part of this.
Hundreds of people, including women, are still on the protest front, ready to face arrest and fight in the streets. At the same time, the protesters are not ready to end their strike just because the religious police is withdrawn. They reiterate that the goal is not to abolish the religious police system in name, but to change the system in its entirety.
As part of the strike announced for three days from today, there is a widespread call through social media to stop financial transactions and also participate in other sectors.
After the 1979 Islamic revolution, religious dress laws including head coverings were in place, but it was only in 2006 when Ahmadi Nijad became president that the religious police were created as a special unit to monitor women in public. Protests started when women’s freedom was constantly being violated in public places because of the dress code. With the death of Mahsa Amini these demands assumed the nature of agitation. The situation in Iran is that all the women’s liberation activists who came forward against the religious police at various times were under house arrest or exiled.
In addition to not wearing the hijab properly, wearing tight clothing or clothing that exposes body parts can result in the custody of the religious police. The reforms such as Ahmadi Nijad were undertaken by the current President Ibrahim Raisi which led to the current situation.
A new nuclear power plant in Iran
Tehran – State TV reported that Iran has started construction of a new nuclear power plant. The new move comes after it was announced that uranium enrichment had resumed and that 60% enriched uranium had been produced. The construction of the plant will be completed within eight years in Khuzestan province in the western border region of Iran. The cost is expected to be 200 crores. Iran currently has a nuclear power plant in Bushehr.
English Summary: Protest-hit Iran abolishes morality police