Ejei: The Police's Unseen Patrols Are Correct, But Their Method Is Debatable

Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the spokesperson for the judiciary, described the police's approach to visible crimes through 'unseen patrols' as correct, but stated that the method is debatable and that there was a lack of 'good taste' in choosing the title. According to ISNA news agency, during his weekly meeting with the media on Sunday, May 5, he said, 'Regarding the principle of addressing visible crimes, the police are taking a good and correct action, but the method and approach are debatable.' Ejei added, 'There may be misuse in this regard, and the police must be careful that no one takes advantage of this.' However, he commented on the choice of the title 'unseen patrol' by the police, stating that in his opinion, 'good taste' was not exercised. Hossein Sajedi-Nia, the police chief of Tehran, announced on Tuesday, April 30, that seven thousand officers in the framework of 'unseen moral security patrols' would report the license plates of vehicles involved in issues such as 'unveiling in vehicles', 'harassment of women', 'noise pollution', and 'performing stunts' via 'SMS'. The operation of the 'unseen patrols' faced criticism last week from Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, and Shahindokht Molaverdi, the Vice President for Women and Family Affairs. The spokesperson for the judiciary also referred to the preventive measures or actions against issues 'against public decency' by the police, stating that the police's actions in this regard have a legal aspect. Ejei added, 'The eighth principle of the law concerns enjoining good and forbidding wrong, for which no law had been written for many years, and ultimately a law was approved, confirmed by the Guardian Council, and announced.' He continued, 'The police are also obliged by this law and other laws to confront visible crimes; some clothing produced or distributed in the country today is illegal according to the law, and even wearing it is also illegal.' Regarding the case of the murder of Setayesh Qureshi, Ejei stated, 'This case has several aspects, and the responsible agencies have seriously entered this case at the earliest time and opened it with high sensitivity, and it is now being pursued with seriousness.' The spokesperson for the judiciary added that the forensic report regarding this murder is significant, and based on this report, the case of the murderer and the victim will be sent to court. Setayesh Qureshi, a six-year-old Afghan girl living in Khayrabad Varamin, was kidnapped and killed by an Iranian teenage boy on April 21. Ejei noted that the perpetrator of this murder is not a minor, as he is 16 years and a few months old, stating, 'This individual's case will go to court, and the court will address the matter, but I announce now that those who say today, why don't you punish this boy, will tomorrow shout human rights when he is punished.' He added, 'The family of the victim is heartbroken; now if we publish details of this tragedy every day in the media, it is not in the interest of that family.' Last week, following a call on social media to commemorate Setayesh Qureshi in front of the Afghan embassy in Tehran, the police prevented the holding of this ceremony. The Afghan Youth Civil Society Association warned the Iranian government that if the perpetrator of Setayesh Qureshi's murder is not executed soon, they will close the Iranian embassy in Kabul with their civil movements. In this context, the Tehran governor's office stated that they have no information about the dimensions of the unseen patrols. Molaverdi criticized the 'unseen moral security patrol' plan. The Friday prayer leader of Tehran warned that the careless should be cautious of the secret police. Rouhani, referring to the unseen patrols, stated that human dignity takes precedence over religion. The police launched the 'unseen moral security patrol' in Tehran, reflecting the repercussions of the murder of the six-year-old Afghan girl by a 17-year-old Iranian boy.