Associated Press: Observing Women Without Mandatory Hijab in the Streets of Iran Has Become Commonplace

The Associated Press reported on the occasion of the second anniversary of the death of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini while in custody of the morality police, noting the significant presence of women without mandatory hijab in public spaces across Iranian cities, stating: "Seeing women without mandatory hijab in Iranian cities is increasingly becoming commonplace." The report, published on Saturday, September 15, added that while Iranian officials do not acknowledge this phenomenon and no research has been conducted on it, videos shared by Iranian citizens on social media show women and girls without mandatory hijab, especially after sunset. The report continued: Women's defiance persists despite the fact that, according to UN researchers, the Islamic Republic has implemented "broad repressive measures and policies" to punish opponents of mandatory hijab. The Associated Press referred to the electoral promises of Masoud Pezeshkian, the head of the fourteenth government, to stop the harassment of women by the morality police, adding that "absolute power rests with the 85-year-old leader, Ali Khamenei." Furthermore, Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, referred to mandatory hijab as a "religious and legal restriction" in a speech on April 3 of this year, explicitly stating that "unveiling is religiously and politically forbidden." According to the Associated Press, mandatory hijab in Iran is recognized as a "political symbol" of the Islamic Republic. The report also referenced statements from a member of the fact-finding committee on Iran on Friday, September 15, warning that "implementing meaningful fundamental changes and holding accountable for severe human rights violations, crimes against humanity, and international crimes remains unattainable for victims and survivors, especially for women and children." The news agency noted the killing of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini, a 22-year-old from Saqqez, while in custody of the morality police on September 16, 2022, which led to widespread protests in Iran; protests that initially began with the slogan "Women, Life, Freedom" quickly turned into an uprising against Ali Khamenei. These months-long protests faced violent repression from government agents, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of over 500 individuals and the arrest of more than 22,000. The Associated Press added that today, seeing women and girls without mandatory hijab in various parts of Tehran, including northern and southern neighborhoods of the capital, has become a common occurrence, especially during sunset and throughout the day and weekends in the city's main parks. According to this report, in social media posts where Iranian citizens share their daily life in Tehran, women without mandatory hijab can be seen. Azadeh, a 25-year-old student at Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, told the Associated Press that her courage to not wear a headscarf is considered "Mahsa Amini's legacy" and that this "achievement" must be protected. The Associated Press further noted the existing dangers for opponents of mandatory hijab from Islamic Republic agents and the return of the morality police to the streets months after the nationwide protests in Iran, stating: scattered posts on social media indicate violence by the Islamic Republic police against women and girls. The news agency referenced the death of Armita Garavand, a teenage girl who mysteriously suffered an incident in the Tehran metro while without mandatory hijab in 2023 and later died in the hospital after falling into a coma. The report also mentioned Arzoo Badri, a young woman who was injured by government agents' gunfire related to not adhering to mandatory hijab in northern Iran, as another example of violence by the Islamic Republic against women opposing mandatory hijab. The Associated Press detailed other repressive actions taken by the Iranian government against opponents of mandatory hijab, including the closure of private businesses, the use of identification cameras to find women without headscarves in vehicles, and fines and vehicle confiscations. According to this report, the Iranian government has escalated punitive measures to the extent that, according to the United Nations, government agents "used drones at the Tehran International Book Fair" this year and in "Kish Island" to identify women opposing mandatory hijab. The UN fact-finding committee warned on September 15 in a new report that two years after the start of the "Women, Life, Freedom" protests, the Iranian government has intensified its efforts to suppress the fundamental rights of women and girls and "destroy the remnants of women's activities." In this context, the spokesperson for the U.S. State Department confirmed this report and called for an end to the repression by Iranian officials. The UN fact-finding committee: The Iranian government has intensified efforts to suppress women and girls in the second anniversary of the nationwide protests. The U.S. confirmed the findings of the UN fact-finding committee regarding "the repression of women in Iran." Amnesty International on the second anniversary of the nationwide protests: In the Islamic Republic, the immunity of "perpetrators of international crimes" from punishment continues. I create; I resist; reports from the organizations "Artistic Freedom Initiative" and "Voices Without Borders" have been published. Statements from several professional and civil organizations: We have no choice but to continue the united and widespread "Women, Life, Freedom Revolution." Ahead of the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death, a car rally was held in Washington, D.C. The success of the film "Witness" by Nader Saei Var at the Venice Festival; the award was presented to "brave women of Iran" and Jafar Panahi. Statements from student organizations on the second anniversary of the nationwide protests: We neither forgive nor forget.