Punishment for Opposing Mandatory Hijab: 10 Months in Prison for Leila Bolukat in Semnan

Leila Bolukat, an Iranian actress, has been sentenced to 10 months in prison in Semnan for wearing a 'hat' instead of the mandatory hijab. News sources from Iran reported on Tuesday, July 18, that Branch 1088 of the Criminal Court 2 announced Ms. Bolukat's sentence 'with a minor change,' condemning her to serve 10 months in prison in one of the prisons in Semnan province along with various restrictions on her civil rights. Mehdi Kouhian, a communications law expert, stated that the court condemned Leila Bolukat 'for wearing a hat' and deemed the sentence 'heavy and outside judicial norms.' According to the Ham-Mihan newspaper, 'a two-year ban on activities on domestic and foreign platforms, acting and advertising, a two-year travel ban, a five-year ban on activities in cyberspace, and reading and summarizing a book within a month' are additional parts of the sentence issued for this actress. The issuance of humiliating sentences for opponents of the mandatory hijab by the judiciary has led to negative reactions in recent days. Among these sentences is one for Azadeh Samadi, an actress, who must visit official psychological centers to address what is termed 'treatment for anti-social personality disorder' every two weeks and provide a health certificate at the end of the treatment period. Mohammad Moqimi, a lawyer, told VOA that the sentences issued against women activists are an abuse of power and contrary to the spirit of human rights. During the nationwide protests that began after the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody, several artists and actors have shared images of themselves without mandatory hijab in support of these protests. Some of these artists, including Katayoun Riahi, Hengameh Qaziani, Afsaneh Bayegan, and Taraneh Alidoosti, have been arrested or summoned and interrogated by security agencies. However, the opposition to mandatory hijab continues.