Iran's crackdown on women intensifies despite reform promises
The campaign against women in Iran is intensifying. The morality police persecute them for improperly wearing or not wearing a hijab. Women are being brutally detained. Despite promises of potential legal reforms, the President has done nothing on this issue.
According to Iranian law, introduced after the Islamic Revolution, every woman must cover her hair in public places. A special morality police force enforces this rule.
In 2022, Kurdish Mahsa Amini was detained for wearing her hijab too loosely. The 22-year-old was reportedly beaten by officers, which led to widespread protests.
Recently, there was a significant commotion about the case of Agou Daryaei, a university student in Tehran. Authorities condemned her for inappropriate attire; in protest, she stripped down to her underwear and walked around the university courtyard. She was detained, treated harshly, and then taken to an unknown location. According to media reports, she was taken to a psychiatric hospital. Human rights organizations have called this an "abduction."
This is not the first time authorities have pacified protesting women by attempting to convince them of mental disorders. In 2018, during a protest, Azem Jangrawi removed her hijab. Today, she recounts how she was arrested and forced to sign a document declaring her to have mental health problems.
Campaign of light
The situation for women has worsened, partly due to a new law enacted in April under which the authorities are conducting a campaign called "Noor" ("light" in Persian).
"The efforts to punish women without the hijab should be doubled," said Tehran's mayor, Alireza Zakani, at the time. Police Chief Ghasem Rezaei stated that officers "are proud to implement God’s command."
New regulations involve hefty fines and even imprisonment for not complying with dress codes. This leads to brutal detentions, which are often seen in videos shared on social media.
Young women report that morality police do not allow them to enter the metro if their hair is not covered. Traffic police also cooperate with the morality police, stopping vehicles when they see a woman without a hijab inside.
The new president of Iran, reformist Masud Pezeshkian, announced that he would strive to relax the regulations. The morality police were not supposed to confront [women]. I will follow up so they don't bother" them, he declared. However, experts point out that since July, when he was sworn in, he has done nothing to improve the situation for women.
