Escalating Dispute Between Government and Parliament Over the Fate of the 'Hijab and Chastity' Bill

The head of the Cultural Commission of Parliament announced the implementation of the bill known as 'Hijab and Chastity' by December 16, but the legal deputy of the presidency claims that this law is in a state of 'suspension.' Morteza Aghatehrani, the head of the Cultural Commission, stated on Tuesday, December 5, that the Parliament will hold off on notifying the law until December 15 in coordination with 'various agencies,' and the Speaker of Parliament is expected to announce the law on December 16. According to the laws of the Islamic Republic, if the President does not notify the approved laws of Parliament for implementation, the Speaker of Parliament can take the initiative to notify them. While the head of the Cultural Commission considers the implementation of the hijab and chastity law to be 'coordinated with other agencies,' Majid Ansari, the legal deputy of the presidency, said on Tuesday that 'the hijab and chastity law, despite being drafted, is in a state of suspension.' The Guardian Council: The 'Hijab and Chastity' bill has been approved and is with Parliament. The representatives of the 11th Parliament agreed on September 20 of last year to a three-year trial implementation of this bill. This bill was approved by a special commission without being voted on in the public session of Parliament, and only a vote was held for its three-year implementation. After several exchanges of the 'Hijab and Chastity' bill between Parliament and the Guardian Council, Hadi Tahan Nazif, the spokesman for this governing council, stated on October 20 this year that the bill has been approved by this council and is now with Parliament. According to the decision of Parliament representatives, this law includes multiple and heavy punishments and fines for those opposing mandatory hijab, which will be enforced using urban electronic equipment and citizen surveillance devices. According to the designers of this bill, various amounts have been set as 'fines for not adhering to hijab.' The hijab and chastity law immediately sparked opposition and protests from many human rights defenders and civil activists on social media after its approval. This comes as one of the main promises of the President's government was to 'resolve' the conflicts related to hijab between the people and the government. During his presidential campaign, he repeatedly criticized the treatment of women on the streets and referred to the so-called 'Noor' plan as a 'black plan.' Nevertheless, reports indicate that government agents' confrontations with opponents of hijab continue. Reactions to the news of the 'approval of the hijab bill' by the Guardian Council; 'Hello to Gender Apartheid.' After the approval of the 'Hijab and Chastity' bill by the Guardian Council in October this year, some users on social media revisited the topic of 'gender apartheid' in Iran, which has been raised by several political prisoners, including Narges Mohammadi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, while others accused Masoud Pezeshkian and his government of populism. Fatemeh Mohajerani, the government spokesperson, stated on October 15 in a press conference in response to the question of whether the hijab and chastity law would be notified by the President, 'Cultural issues cannot be imposed by force, but can be instilled through belief. This government is a government of unity and seeks to advance matters through empathy.' Shahram Dabiri, the parliamentary deputy of the President, also announced on November 14 that pursuing the hijab and chastity law from the Islamic Consultative Assembly 'is not a priority for the government.' Now, while another deputy of Masoud Pezeshkian has declared this plan to be in a state of 'suspension,' previously, Parliament representatives had repeatedly announced its imminent implementation. Amir Hossein Bankipour, a Parliament representative and supporter of the approval of the hijab and chastity bill, had declared its implementation 'certain' a few weeks ago. It is unclear whether Pezeshkian's government can find a legal way to delay this bill or whether the only path forward for the government will be to ignore its implementation after notification. Severe government repression and the danger of 'underground' protests.