Qalibaf: The 'Hijab and Chastity' Bill Will Be Announced on December 14 and There Will Be No Morality Police

The Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran states that the 'Hijab and Chastity' bill will be announced on December 14, specifying the responsibilities of various agencies regarding hijab, and that 'there will be no morality police in the law of chastity and hijab.' Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf emphasized on Wednesday, December 7, that what he termed 'unveiling, improper hijab, and nudity' has been categorized in this bill. He explained that if 'unveiling' occurs, a text message will first be sent, followed by a warning: 'The first stage of the fine is recorded but no action is taken. However, if a warning is given again, the second stage of the fine will also be applied. Going to prison is no longer an option in such cases.' The law on chastity and hijab immediately sparked opposition and protests from many human rights defenders and civil activists on social media after its approval by the parliament in September last year and confirmation by the Guardian Council in October this year. Recently, Majid Ansari, the legal deputy of the presidency, stated: 'The hijab and chastity law, although written, is currently in a state of suspension.' In this context, according to the laws of the Islamic Republic, if the President does not announce the laws approved by the parliament for implementation, the Speaker of the Parliament can take the initiative to announce them. Masoud Pezeshkian referred to the police's 'Noor' plan for dealing with opponents of mandatory hijab as 'darkness' during his election campaign and called for respectful treatment of women. In his first press conference, when the issue of morality police actions was raised again, the President's response was, 'Are they bothering again? Because they were not supposed to bother. We will follow up to ensure they do not bother.' Mr. Qalibaf stated that in this bill 'we have prevented any kind of conflict and direct action; there is no longer a morality police in the law, and we have specified its enforcement guarantees.' The Islamic Consultative Assembly approved the 'Chastity and Hijab' bill on September 20, 2023, one year after the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police and the beginning of the protests of the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement, which includes multiple and heavy penalties for opponents of mandatory hijab, after it was finalized in a special commission under Article 85 of the Constitution. Despite the intensified crackdown by various government agencies, the police, the IRGC, and the judiciary against women who do not comply with the mandatory hijab desired by the government, Mr. Qalibaf claimed that after the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement, the parliament reported that '31 agencies were held responsible for enforcing hijab laws and we officially stated in the parliament that out of 32 agencies, 31 had not fulfilled their duties.' He mentioned that only the police had fulfilled its duties regarding hijab.