Amnesty International: The 'Chastity and Hijab' Bill is a Despicable Violation of the Rights of Iranian Women and Girls

On Thursday, September 21, Amnesty International issued a statement calling the Chastity and Hijab Bill a "despicable violation of the rights of Iranian women and girls" and demanded that the authorities of the Islamic Republic be held accountable at the international level. Diana Tahawi, Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International, reacted to the approval of the bill by the Islamic Consultative Assembly, stating: "If approved by the Guardian Council, [this bill] will intensify the suffocating oversight and intervention over women's bodies and will obligate the political, security, and administrative arms of the Islamic Republic to impose severe monitoring of [Iranian citizens'] compliance with mandatory hijab laws and control the lives of women and girls." According to her, "Iranian officials are doubling the punishment for women and girls asserting their fundamental rights regarding freedom of expression, religion, belief, and bodily autonomy." Tahawi added: "This comprehensive assault is part of the ongoing efforts by officials to crush the spirit of resistance among those who stood as part of the popular uprising for women, life, freedom against decades of oppression and inequality." The Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International emphasized: "Governments must immediately demand that Iranian officials repeal this bill and all humiliating and discriminatory mandatory hijab laws and regulations." She stated that "they must also pursue international legal avenues to hold Iranian officials accountable for ordering, planning, and committing such widespread and systematic violations against women and girls." A few days after the anniversary of the killing of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini in the custody of the 'Guidance Patrol', the Islamic Consultative Assembly presented and approved the controversial Chastity and Hijab Bill in the plenary session. Additionally, on Wednesday morning, September 20, the Islamic Consultative Assembly approved the proposal for a "trial implementation" of the 'Support for Chastity and Hijab Culture' law for three years. Following this decision, the Islamic Consultative Assembly will send the approved bill from the Judicial and Legal Commission, which was passed according to Article 85 of the Constitution, to the Guardian Council for review within 10 days. For several months, the three branches of the Islamic Republic have collaborated to prepare the 'Chastity and Hijab' bill, which was approved by the relevant commission at the end of August. This bill, if finally approved, will impose various punishments on opponents of mandatory hijab, and according to the decision of the representatives, it was reviewed and approved according to Article 85 of the Constitution, which means it does not require a vote in the plenary session and will be sent directly to the Guardian Council. On September 1, UN human rights experts expressed serious concern about the so-called 'Chastity and Hijab' bill, describing it as "gender apartheid." According to eight UN experts, including Javaid Rehman, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, "the draft of this law can be described as a form of gender apartheid because it appears that the officials intend to govern through systematic discrimination aimed at completely suppressing women and girls." These experts stated that the 'Family Support Bill through Promoting Chastity and Hijab' and the existing restrictions are inherently discriminatory and lead to gender-based violence. Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, previously stated in response to a question from a VOA Persian reporter that the Islamic Republic has not learned from recent protests. John Kirby, the National Security Council's Strategic Communications Coordinator at the White House, also stated that "after the killing of Mahsa Amini and the public protests, the people of Iran should now be able to make decisions for themselves and women should choose their own attire." Shaparak Shajari Zadeh, one of the girls from Revolution Street, also told VOA in recent days that the Islamic Republic's haste in passing and implementing the 'Chastity and Hijab' law is meant to "scare" women in Iran, but they can no longer silence the vibrant Iranian society. The American organization for religious freedom called for referring the Islamic Republic's case to the International Criminal Court. The decision on the 'Chastity and Hijab' bill has been delayed; "probably" after the conclusion of the seventh development program review. The Assembly approved and sent to the Guardian Council; "trial implementation" of the 'Chastity and Hijab' bill for three years. The Secretary of the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council of the Islamic Republic considered hijab a "political and security issue." A whipping sentence for an engineer opposing mandatory hijab; Zeinab Kazemi: I do not regret my cry for justice. Mehdi Nasiri, a principlist activist: The Islamic Republic has come to an end and is in the "skirts of the Russians" and "Chinese." UN experts described the mandatory hijab bill as "gender apartheid." Repetition of the assistant's position against the 85th article of the hijab bill. The Tehran Police Information Center denied the claim of its 'commander' regarding the arrest of the 'Snap' attacker. A member of parliament: Actors should commit to two years of hijab for each film; indifference of protesting actors. Continued disobedience against mandatory hijab in Iran; Ejei: "It is a visible crime." Seizure of vehicles to enforce mandatory hijab; Barahani: It is illegal; do not hand over the switch and car.