Amnesty International's Latest Report Highlights Iran's 'Widespread Campaign' to Enforce 'Repressive' Hijab Laws

Amnesty International announced in a recent report that officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran are launching a widespread campaign to enforce repressive mandatory hijab laws through extensive surveillance of women and girls in public places. According to the report, the vehicles of tens of thousands of women have been 'arbitrarily' confiscated for defying mandatory hijab laws. Additionally, several women have faced legal prosecution or have been sentenced to flogging, imprisonment, fines, and mandatory 'morality' classes. Amnesty International has gathered testimonies from 46 individuals, including 41 women, one transgender woman, one girl, and four men in the month of Bahman, and by examining official documents including court rulings and prosecutor's orders, it has shown that a range of government organizations are involved in the harassment of women and girls. The organization has published 20 of these testimonies. Amnesty International states that Iranian authorities are attempting to eliminate resistance to mandatory hijab following the nationwide protests of 'Women, Life, Freedom,' aiming to instill fear in women and girls, disrupting their daily lives and causing severe psychological distress. Diana Tahawi, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, notes that the escalation of harassment and torture against women and girls has occurred just weeks before the UN Human Rights Council's vote on extending the mandate of the fact-finding mission aimed at investigating violations since the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police, particularly against women and children. During these investigations, Amnesty International spoke with eleven women who described being pursued and suddenly detained, with their vehicles confiscated while engaging in normal daily activities such as commuting to work, medical appointments, or going to school. They emphasized the 'complete disregard' of the police for safety, with some stating they were left stranded on busy highways or in cities far from their homes. These women and men told Amnesty International that the process of reclaiming their vehicles from the police 'morality security' involved waiting in long lines and humiliating treatment from officials, including gender-based insults and comments about the appearance of women and girls, even those as young as nine, as well as humiliating orders to cover their hair and threats of flogging, imprisonment, and travel bans. Women also explained to Amnesty International that their access to public transportation, airports, and banking services is continuously denied or conditional upon wearing a hijab. They also described that such encounters are usually accompanied by verbal harassment, including gender-based insults and threats of legal action. Amnesty International has also reported on the cases of 15 women and one 16-year-old girl in seven provinces who have faced prosecution solely for not wearing a hijab or for using inappropriate head coverings while in their vehicles or in public places like shopping centers, cinemas, airports, or subways; or even in photos posted on their social media. Ongoing disciplinary actions against students in Iran; suspension from studies due to participation in gatherings. Results of a study in Tehran: over 95% of women oppose mandatory hijab, 57% have abandoned it. Javid Rahman expressed concern about the increase in executions in Iran in a report to the UN Human Rights Council. The judiciary stated that the punishment for violating mandatory hijab is 'non-reviewable'; Sina Yousafi called it an unlawful interpretation of the law. New restrictions for cafes in Tehran; customers' hijab should not be an issue; another excuse is raised.