Iran: new sanctions against unveiled women

Commercial district in northern Tehran, Iran, Monday, November 14, 2022. AP - Vahid Salemi

Text by: Siavosh Ghazi

2 mins

After executing four people accused of having taken part in the demonstrations in recent days, the courts have announced a clear tightening of the obligation to wear the veil. 

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From our Tehran correspondent

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The country's deputy prosecutor asks the police and judges to act against those who do not respect the wearing of the veil.

There is in particular a fine, but also possibly a ban on leaving the country, on exercising certain trades, the deprivation of certain public services and the seizure of the car if the women do not wear the veil in their vehicle, the closing shops or restaurants in which women do not respect the veil.

Finally, for those who encourage women not to respect the compulsory wearing of the Islamic veil, the penalty is heavier, since the law provides for between one and ten years in prison.

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More and more bareheaded women 

However, the Iranian government had announced in December the dissolution of the morality police.

This reversal is surprising, because Iran's number one, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, gave a rather conciliatory speech a few days ago, saying that poorly veiled women should not be considered enemies.

Since the beginning of the protest movement, we have witnessed an important evolution.

We come across more and more young people and teenagers in the street who do not wear the veil.

Before, we saw certain women driving their car or in the street who left their headscarf on their shoulders to put it on their heads when they met police officers.

There, some young people do not even wear this precautionary scarf.

At the exit of schools or high schools, we see in certain neighborhoods in Tehran,

but also in the provinces, groups of young girls walk around without headscarves.

And it is perhaps to try to contain this phenomenon that the power has decided to harden the tone.

Tone hardening

We can ask ourselves the question of the application of these new measures.

In any case, if it will be applied very strictly.

For example, for several decades, the use and possession of satellite dishes to receive satellite television channels has been prohibited.

But almost all Iranian families have them.

Are we going to see a relaxation in the application of the law on the veil?

That's the whole question, especially in the face of the younger generation

These new measures come in a more general context of tightening.

There have already been four hangings and in recent days, justice has announced new death sentences pronounced against opponents accusing them of violent actions.

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