Prosecutor: Vehicles of Those Who 'Remove Hijab' Will Be Seized

The prosecutor of Sari announced that from now on, the vehicles of individuals who engage in hijab removal will be seized, and legal cases will be formed against women who 'remove their hijab.' According to the news agency Mizan on Tuesday, July 6, Asadollah Jafari, the public and revolutionary prosecutor of Mazandaran province, reported on the 'serious and legal confrontation of the judiciary with the issue of hijab removal in society.' Mr. Jafari stated, 'In the implementation of Article 638 of the Islamic Penal Code, prosecutors and heads of judicial districts will form legal cases against individuals who engage in hijab removal as an act of sin in public.' According to Article 638 of the Islamic Penal Code, 'Whenever someone publicly displays a forbidden act in public places and streets, in addition to punishment for the act, they will be sentenced to imprisonment from 10 days to 2 months or up to 74 lashes. If the act does not have a punishment in itself but offends public decency, they will be sentenced to imprisonment from 10 days to 2 months or up to 74 lashes.' Based on the note of this article, 'Women who appear without proper hijab in public places will be sentenced to imprisonment from 10 days to 2 months or a fine of 50,000 to 500,000 rials.' The prosecutor of Sari also announced the seizure of vehicles whose occupants do not wear Islamic hijab. He stated, 'Private or public vehicles, motorcycles, motorboats, jet skis, and other motor vehicles of individuals whose occupants engage in hijab removal will also be seized by law enforcement and transferred to parking lots, and legal action will be taken against the accused according to relevant regulations.' Previously, the head of the traffic police had also stated that individuals who 'break norms' in their personal vehicles would be dealt with. Taghi Mohri stated on June 9, 'Inside the car is not a private area, and the police will confront those who display fasting violations or hijab removal in their vehicles, and these individuals will be referred to the judiciary.' Regarding what actions will be taken against these individuals, he said, 'It is the judicial authority that must decide on this matter.' These statements come at a time when in Bahman of last year, the prosecutor of Tehran emphasized that 'merely confronting and taking restrictive actions is not effective' and 'arresting individuals does not necessarily change their mindset.' According to Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi, the prosecutor of Tehran, criminal action should be limited to necessary cases and 'should be conducted within the framework of available resources' and 'should focus on the main centers' and 'organized crimes and corruptions' that 'are designed.' In this context, the order of the prosecutor of Sari to confront 'hijab removal' includes 'inspections' of hijab and chastity in government offices, 'punishments for female employees.' The spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior stated: 'We do not control the attire of female employees.' Several members of parliament have called for an apology from the Friday prayer leader of Saveh. 'Wednesdays for women who resist.' The police of Iran announced that the entry of law enforcement officers into private beaches is 'permissible.'