Title: Iranian Authorities Resurrect “Morality Police” to Enforce Mandatory Hijab
Date: Mon 17 Jul 2023, 00:22 BST
In a controversial move, Iranian authorities have launched a new campaign to compel women to wear the Islamic headscarf, known as the hijab. The enforcement is being carried out by the “morality police,” who have returned to the streets after scaling back their activities in the aftermath of nationwide protests last year.
The protests erupted following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died while in the custody of the morality police. The incident sparked outrage and led thousands of Iranians to take to the streets, demanding the overthrow of the theocratic regime.
Despite a heavy crackdown that resulted in numerous deaths and detentions, many women continued to defy the official dress code, especially in Tehran and other major cities. During this period, the morality police were rarely seen patrolling the streets, and there were even reports, later denied, that they had been disbanded in December.
Iran’s clerical rulers, who view the hijab as an integral part of the Islamic revolution, have intensified efforts to uphold the mandatory dress code. On Sunday, Gen Saeed Montazerolmahdi, a police spokesperson, announced that the morality police would resume notifying and detaining women not wearing the hijab in public. Marked vans carrying male and female officers of the morality police were seen patrolling the streets of Tehran.
The renewed enforcement comes amidst the arrest of Mohammed Sadeghi, a relatively unknown actor, who was taken into custody after broadcasting a raid on his home. Sadeghi had expressed his frustration in response to a video showing a woman being detained by the morality police and made a controversial statement. He is now accused of encouraging violence against law enforcement officers.
Last year’s protests saw women at the forefront, using the battle over the hijab as a powerful rallying cry against the clerical rulers. The demonstrations soon expanded into broader demands for comprehensive political change. High-profile figures from Iran’s film industry, including directors and actors, lent their support by participating in the protests. However, several actors were detained for either appearing without a hijab or expressing solidarity with the demonstrators.
In a recent case, actress Azadeh Samadi was not only barred from social media but also ordered by a court to undergo psychological treatment for what they referred to as “antisocial personality disorder.” This happened after she attended a funeral wearing a cap instead of the mandated headscarf.
The Iranian government has consistently dismissed the protests as a foreign conspiracy, without offering substantive evidence. With the reinstatement of the morality police, it remains to be seen how Iranian society will respond and whether the renewed enforcement will quell the defiance or lead to further resistance among women and their supporters.