Increased Vehicle Seizures 'Under the Pretext of Hijab'; A Lawyer: It Contradicts the Constitution

As vehicle seizures for alleged 'improper hijab' by drivers or passengers intensify, a lawyer has called the Interior Minister's directive on this matter 'against the Constitution.' According to Iranian media, the seizure of citizens' vehicles for failing to comply with mandatory hijab laws follows a directive from the Ministry of Interior to the police, Tehran municipality, provincial governors, and seven security and law enforcement agencies. Furthermore, the approved directive from the 'Hijab and Chastity Headquarters,' issued by the Ministry of Interior on May 30, 2023, is the source of confrontations with citizens 'under the pretext of hijab.' Mohsen Barahani, a lawyer and university professor, has described the Interior Minister's actions as 'unconstitutional' and problematic for thousands of citizens. He criticized members of parliament for not holding the Interior Minister accountable on this issue. In another post on social media, Barahani urged President Ebrahim Raisi to issue a 'constitutional warning' regarding the Interior Minister's actions, noting that the Interior Minister and the Ministry of Interior are part of the executive branch led by Raisi. Iranian media reported that the cost of retrieving seized vehicles ranges from two to seven million tomans. Reports indicate that some vehicles were seized within cities or on intercity roads without prior warning messages. Barahani has stated that the Interior Minister's order to seize vehicles due to citizens' non-compliance with mandatory hijab is illegal and that police officers are executing an unlawful order. These directives have been implemented while a bill in the Islamic Consultative Assembly regarding mandatory hijab, named the 'Chastity and Hijab Bill,' has not yet been approved by the Guardian Council and has not become law. However, the judiciary recently claimed that 'the interior of a vehicle is not considered private space and is visible to the public.' Previously, John Kirby, the National Security Council's Strategic Communications Coordinator at the White House, stated: 'After the death of Mahsa Amini and public protests, the people of Iran should now be able to make decisions for themselves, and women should choose their own attire.' Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, told a VOA Persian reporter that the Islamic Republic has not learned from recent protests.