The Islamic Republic Government Implements Ranking of Executive Bodies Based on 'Hijab Law'

The head of the Administrative and Employment Organization of the Islamic Republic has stated that the country's executive bodies will be evaluated based on their adherence to the 'Law of Chastity and Hijab.' According to Iranian media, Meysam Latifi, the head of the Administrative and Employment Organization of the Islamic Republic, announced that executive bodies will be 'ranked' in September based on their implementation of the 'Hijab Law.' The deputy of Ebrahim Raisi stated that the 'ethical charter of executive bodies' has been issued and must be followed, adding that one of the criteria for evaluation in the 'Shahid Rajaei Festival' will be the performance of executive bodies in enforcing the law on chastity and hijab. The government has consistently taken action against opponents of mandatory hijab and dissatisfied citizens regarding the compulsory dress code. Following the nationwide protests last year after the death of Mahsa Amini in custody, civil disobedience against religious laws such as the mandatory hijab and efforts to change the type of governance have significantly increased, especially among women in public spaces and government offices opting for optional dress. In this context, in recent months, some military, judicial, government officials, and Friday prayer leaders have called for severe measures and the denial of government services to 'unveiled' individuals. Abdolhossein Khosrowpanah, the secretary of the government body 'Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution,' expressed concern on May 7 regarding the rise of civil disobedience and resistance among Iranian girls and women against the mandatory hijab, stating that this wave could reach 'high numbers' in the summer. On the other hand, Gholamreza Hassanpour, head of the 'Basij of Guilds' affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, stated on May 21 that '100 special clothing designs for female sellers in retail units have been developed.' The 'Support for Chastity and Hijab Culture' bill, prepared by the judiciary and approved by the cabinet, was sent to the Islamic Consultative Assembly for review and approval in early June. According to the bill presented by the government, the police are the only judicial authority that can issue warnings via text message to those who do not comply with the mandatory hijab and 'unveil,' and upon repeat offenses, they may face fines of up to 166,000 tomans and approximately 330,000 tomans for a third offense. According to the judiciary's proposal, 'punishment for nudity of any part of the body or wearing thin, revealing, or tight clothing in public or online' carries a fine of 'two million tomans,' while 'complete nudity' is penalized with fines ranging from 'six to 24 million tomans' along with 'deprivation of social rights of the sixth degree.' This bill faced widespread opposition from supporters of mandatory hijab in the Islamic Republic, including Hossein Shariatmadari, the editor appointed by Ali Khamenei at Kayhan newspaper, who described it as leading to 'the spread of unveiled individuals.' Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, declared on April 4 that refusal to wear the mandatory hijab is 'religiously and politically forbidden' and labeled it as 'political planning.'