Afsaneh Bayegan Summoned to Court for 'Wearing a Hat' and 'Exposing an Object'

Afsaneh Bayegan, an actress and opponent of mandatory hijab, stated that she will appear in court on Saturday, July 8, to explain her use of a hat instead of the mandatory hijab and the charge of 'exposing an object.' Two months ago, she attended the play 'Cafe Ashghi' while wearing a hat that covered most of her head, with only a bit of her hair and neck visible. She claims she has been charged under Article 640 of the Islamic Penal Code for actions contrary to public morality and decency. In an Instagram post, she wrote: 'Two months ago, I attended the theater performance of Cafe Ashghi while wearing a hat that covered most of my head, and only a little of my hair and neck was visible. One of the backstage crew asked for my opinion at the end of the show, and I responded out of respect for the team's efforts, and a video of me was published.' The actress stated: 'I have been charged under Article 640 for exposing an object!!! which is against public morality. Therefore, we conclude that I am being treated as an object in this interpretation. If I appear without a hijab in the street, I will be subject to the provisions of Article 638 and liable for a fine, but if I attend a show wearing a hat, I deserve a year in prison???' She criticized the indictment against her, stating: 'The indictment mentions that the penalty under Article 638 is too lenient for me and that severe action is necessary because I am an artist.' According to Ms. Bayegan, her case has been referred to Branch 1088, the same branch that brings a judge from the Ba'ath Judicial Complex to the Ershad Judicial Complex for a few hours to issue heavy sentences and then returns. She emphasized that years ago, she participated in the Fajr International Film Festival wearing the same type of hat, and 'photos were published on social media, but I did not receive a single warning.' The well-known Iranian artist then asked: 'Do I have clairvoyance to know that today the same style of dress is considered a crime?' Afsaneh Bayegan also pointed out the dress code situation in Tehran, stating: 'It would be good to look around in this city; is this hijab in Tehran and in an artistic center like a theater against public morality? The judgment is with the people of Tehran.' In May of this year, her appearance without a hijab at the tribute ceremony for Attila Pessyani, a veteran director and actor, at the House of Artists, and the publication of images from that event on social media received widespread attention. She wore earrings with the symbol of the lion and sun, which attracted users' attention on social networks. Following the onset of nationwide protests with the central slogan 'Women, Life, Freedom,' civil disobedience among women and their presence without mandatory hijab in public spaces has increased. They consider freedom 'a daily practice.' Journalist Roya Karimi-Majd previously told Voice of America that the continued presence of women without hijab in the streets will gradually become a normal trend.