Judiciary in Hamadan and Isfahan Pursues Attackers of 'Promoters of Virtue'; Increase in Public Resistance Against 'Fire-at-Will' Forces

With the increasing interference of government-affiliated forces in the daily lives of citizens and the harassment under the pretext of mandatory hijab, public resistance against these individuals has intensified. Recently, confrontations between 'promoters of virtue' and the public have occurred, prompting the judiciary in Hamadan and Isfahan to form cases aimed at identifying those who defended themselves against these harassments. According to Mizan, the news agency of the judiciary, Asadollah Jafari, the Chief Justice of Isfahan, announced that 'following the assault of four individuals on one promoter of virtue in Imam Square in Isfahan and the dissemination of a video of the incident on social media, a judicial case has been formed in a special branch of the provincial prosecutor's office, and necessary orders have been issued.' Jafari stated that initial actions have led to the identification and arrest of three individuals involved in this confrontation, and investigations are ongoing to apprehend another person who is reportedly 'fleeing.' The public prosecutor and revolutionary prosecutor of Hamadan also announced the formation of a judicial case to pursue the attackers of a 'promoter of virtue' in this city. Abbas Najafi commented on the 'assault' of a young Hamadani who had harassed a young couple, stating that this young man is currently 'under special medical care in the hospital due to severe injuries sustained in the abdomen, shoulder, and arm.' Mohammad Kazem Mohammadi Azad, the Attorney General of the country, emphasized on the sixth of Farvardin that prosecutors must support the actions of agents and 'promoters of virtue and preventers of vice,' claiming that 'for the people, the misconduct of a few individuals lacking the necessary religious insight or influenced by the propaganda of adversaries is intolerable.' This emphasis by the Attorney General comes despite experts asserting that supporters of mandatory hijab and government-affiliated forces operating under the name 'promoters of virtue' have no legal right to interfere in the personal affairs of citizens and harass them. Some analysts believe that this comprehensive support from security, military, and judicial bodies emboldens the forces acting 'fire-at-will' as advised by Ali Khamenei. In this context, Iranian media reported on the 23rd of Esfand about clashes between supporters of mandatory hijab and the police. The website 'Entekhab' noted that despite the three branches of government taking specific actions to support proponents of 'promoting virtue and preventing vice,' a group of supporters gathered in the vicinity of Pasteur and the Presidential Institution, and when the police attempted to disperse them, clashes erupted, ultimately leading to violence. Promoters of virtue, referred to as 'helpers of virtue' at Mashhad University; reports by Afshar Sigarchi. Returning to 'main regulations'; the tone of Islamic Republic officials regarding 'mandatory hijab' changed after the elections. The spread of violence or promoting virtue? Three Tehran citizens were arrested. Intensification of vehicle confiscations 'under the pretext of hijab'; a lawyer: it is unconstitutional.