UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Urges Iran to Decriminalize 'Mandatory Hijab Laws'

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has urged the Islamic Republic of Iran to 'immediately' halt executions. Volker Turk expressed horror at the 'continued use of the death penalty in significant numbers' and called on Iranian officials to 'stop executions immediately.' During a press conference on Wednesday, May 24, in Geneva, he referred to the 'escalation' of what he termed 'harassment' of women and urged the government to heed calls from Iranians for reforms, starting with the repeal of regulations that criminalize non-compliance with mandatory hijab laws. This request from Volker Turk comes as the Iranian government, in collaboration with the judiciary and other state institutions, recently submitted a bill to the parliament that, if finalized, will not only fail to decriminalize non-compliance with mandatory hijab laws but also seeks to intensify existing penalties through a range of punishments, including financial fines and social restrictions. The bill's drafters have attempted to prescribe 'the formation of a legal case' as the final stage of enforcement, limiting initial responses to warnings, fines, and the closure of establishments. The published text describes actions such as 'uncovering the head by women,' 'nudity,' and 'wearing thin, body-revealing clothing' as 'crimes,' with offenders identified through smart systems receiving up to three warnings and fines, and upon repeat offenses for a fourth time, being referred to judicial authorities. The bill also stipulates that if the crime of uncovering the hijab occurs in a vehicle, after two warnings and financial penalties, the vehicle will be electronically seized for seven days on the third offense. It addresses hijab violations by government employees, stating that such offenses will be pursued through the relevant supervisory mechanisms up to three times, with the offender being referred to judicial authorities on the fourth offense. For visitors to public and governmental institutions, if they commit the crime of uncovering the hijab, they will be deprived of 'administrative services from that institution.' According to this bill, for non-governmental establishments, if a hijab violation occurs, the first instance will result in a closure warning, the second for up to one week, and the third for up to two weeks, with establishments being closed by 'law enforcement agents or according to regulatory provisions by relevant authorities.' Celebrities and well-known individuals, whose recent appearances without mandatory hijab have sparked significant reactions, are also a focus of this bill, which states: 'Whenever individuals who are socially influential due to their social, political, cultural, artistic, or sports activities commit the crime of uncovering the hijab, their punishment will be increased by one degree and they will also face a professional activity ban for three months to one year by relevant authorities.' The bill extends hijab control to the virtual space, where individuals promoting anti-hijab sentiments online will first receive warnings from 'law enforcement,' in addition to 'removal of their website or information platform,' and on the second offense, they will face 'internet service deprivation' for three to six months and financial penalties, ultimately being referred to judicial authorities on the third offense. The proposed bill has now been sent to the Islamic Consultative Assembly and will be forwarded to the Guardian Council for final approval after review and ratification. Previously, Homayoun Katouzian, a university professor, told Voice of America that hijab, like prayer and fasting, should not be mandatory and should not be considered a crime.