Mandatory Hijab | Ministry of Culture: 'Taqche' Does Not Have Operating License; Users: Access Has Been Blocked!

Following the intensification of government agencies' crackdown on independent economic entities, the Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance has announced that the online book platform 'Taqche' does not have the necessary licenses to continue its operations. According to Iranian media, the announcement from the 'Center for the Development of Culture and Art in Cyberspace' affiliated with the government of Ebrahim Raisi stated: 'The digital book platform Taqche has not yet taken steps to obtain the legal licenses from this center.' The government agency added: 'According to Article 2 of the regulations for organizing and developing media and digital cultural activities, this platform is obliged to obtain a license from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.' Taqche is an active entity in the book sector that last week came under pressure from government-affiliated bodies to shut down due to the publication of images of its employees without mandatory hijab on social media. The Fars news agency, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported on August 5 that 'following the publication of images on social media regarding the non-compliance with hijab by female employees of Taqche in the workplace, a legal case has been opened.' Meanwhile, coinciding with the announcement from the center affiliated with the Islamic Guidance Ministry, 'Young Journalists Club,' affiliated with the state broadcaster, reported that 'some social media users' have reported 'disruption' in accessing the 'Taqche website and application.' However, some social media users have reported complete access blockage and 'filtering' of Taqche, a product of 'Golden Idea Contemporary Intelligent Services Company' and a digital platform for electronic access to audio versions of books. Journalist Elham Adimi tweeted: 'The Taqche app is having problems!!! and is inaccessible.' Another user, using the hashtag '#Taqche,' wrote: 'Having a startup and business in Iran is a systematic risk! Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance? :)))))' This book platform announced on August 8 that the photo was taken 'more than a month ago' and was published at that time on a 'personal account,' and the mentioned image was taken 'after saying goodbye to one of the colleagues,' in front of an outer wall and 'outside the working space of Taqche' and was not published on 'any of Taqche's official accounts.' In another part of this announcement, it was stated: 'Following the controversies created, some publishers, outside the contractual framework they have with Taqche, have requested to terminate it. Taqche, while accepting this request, has put the termination process on its agenda.' Meanwhile, after the controversies surrounding the 'Taqche' platform in recent days, an online insurance sales company named 'Az Ki' also faced 'suspension of activities' for an indefinite period due to the publication of images of some of its employees without hijab. In recent days, the 'Taqche' platform has faced severe actions from government agencies and individuals close to the regime, to the extent that some publishers affiliated with various institutions of the Islamic Republic, including the office of Ali Khamenei, Astan Quds Razavi, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, have published letters addressed to the management of this entity, announcing the 'termination of cooperation' with them due to the presence of some employees without mandatory hijab in an image.