Reactions to the 'Chastity and Hijab' Bill in Iran | Critics: It is Unclear and Discriminatory; Defenders: Critics are Anti-Family

The text of the 'Chastity and Hijab' bill, approved by the Islamic Consultative Assembly last week, has faced significant criticism in just a few days. Critiques include the obligations imposed on institutions, 'shock' to the budget, 'discrimination' in resource distribution, and the use of 'unclear' phrases, which have been raised in Iranian media regarding this 'bill'. In contrast, defenders of this bill have labeled critics as 'anti-family' and holding 'feminist views'. The 'Khabar Online' website reported various criticisms of this bill, stating that the 'most important' critique is the 'lack of definition of its primary concepts'. According to political observers quoted in the report, phrases such as nudity, hijablessness, inappropriate dressing, items related to hijab, cultural goods, Islamic family-centered lifestyle, culture of chastity and hijab, and the punitive and proactive actions of law enforcers for punishing individuals valued against these concepts lack precise meaning and can be subjectively interpreted by enforcers. The author of the report emphasized that it is unclear what the legislator means by 'Islamic family-centered lifestyle' that incurs punishment for deviation. Another point of criticism regarding the 'hijab bill' is whether 'inappropriate dressing' has the same meaning across different ethnic and cultural backgrounds in Iran. Critics believe that while in the previous law, courts were the authority to determine 'hijablessness', now 'multiple authorities' have been defined to determine individuals' 'hijablessness' within the administrative, security, and police systems of the country. The 'Asr Iran' website reacted to this bill by stating that 'Mahsa Amini was arrested for wearing an outfit that today, if someone wears the same outfit, they would be pleased that they have a scarf on their head.' This website emphasized that 'the conventional concept of dress is very fluid, and if left to personal tastes, it could lead to disaster.' Critics believe this bill will 'astonishingly' create a foundation for 'social confrontation' and tension and conflict among people. They argue that in various sections of this 'law', people are obligated to monitor the 'hijab' of others 'or else they will be punished themselves.' The 'Javan' newspaper, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, in response to these criticisms stated that 'when we examine the criticisms more carefully, we realize that part of them is more about revealing the feminist and even anti-family views of the critics than pointing out the shortcomings and deficiencies of the law in question.' Yesterday, Abram Paley, the U.S. Special Envoy for Iran, wrote on his 'X' account: 'The punitive mandatory hijab law in Iran is a step backward for women's rights, human rights, and religious freedom. This law demonstrates the Iranian government's determination to suppress freedom and women's rights.' The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights also expressed regret on Friday over the passage of the 'stricter' hijab-related bill by the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the increase in prison penalties and heavy fines for not adhering to mandatory hijab in Iran. Previously, Javaid Rehman, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic, had also strongly criticized the ongoing repression in Iran. Yesterday, Pegah Bani Hashemi responded to the question of what practical action the UN can take regarding the 'Chastity and Hijab' bill in an interview with VOA. Narrators Shamdassani: The hijab and chastity bill is repressive and humiliating. The passage of the hijab and chastity bill in the Assembly; an attempt to set citizens against each other. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: The 'repressive' and 'humiliating' hijab bill in Iran should be repealed. U.S. criticism of the mandatory hijab law in Iran; a step backward for women's rights, human rights, and religious freedom. A member of parliament: The hijab and chastity law states that we will arrest, imprison, and fine. The Assembly approved and sent it to the Guardian Council; 'experimental implementation' of the 'Chastity and Hijab' bill for three years.