Zahra Rahnavard Calls Violent Enforcement of Mandatory Hijab a 'Dictatorial Order'

Amid a new wave of violent police confrontations with women across Iranian cities, Zahra Rahnavard emphasized in a message from her house arrest that the enforcement of mandatory hijab is a 'dictatorial and fabricated order.' Rahnavard, a leader of the Green Movement who has been under house arrest with her husband, Mir Hossein Mousavi, for 13 years, made this statement in a message published on Wednesday, May 15. She wrote: 'The regime shamelessly beats women in public and in front of the eyes of the people and the media of Iran and the world, kills their protesting children, imprisons their mourners, and continues its innovative enforcement and misguidance while committing femicide.' Rahnavard stated that 'the rights of women are the concern of every honorable human being' and regarding the reason for the government's violence against women in Iran, she wrote: 'Because of a few meters of hijab, which is a dictatorial and fabricated order, not religious, sectarian, or ideological.' In this short message, this political activist emphasized that the regime becomes 'more abhorrent' every day by insulting women and violating their rights and dignity, thus deeply wounding 'national honor and integrity.' A report from a domestic media outlet indicated that the mandatory hijab is only enforced 'in front of the authorities.' Violent confrontations with women in Iran regarding mandatory hijab continue, while well-known domestic figures and human rights organizations, both domestic and international, warn against its continuation. Recently, a video of the violent arrest of a woman by patrol officers for not wearing a mandatory hijab has gone viral on social media. The video, reportedly recorded on May 13 in Motahari Street, Tehran, shows two female officers forcibly putting a woman, who appears to be without a hijab, into a van. During the struggle, her clothing is torn off, and she is thrown towards the curb. One of the officers then brings a blanket and forcibly covers the woman with it before putting her in the van. Despite widespread criticism of the police's violent actions, including the recent video, Ahmad Vahidi, the Minister of Interior of the Islamic Republic, stated on Wednesday, May 15, that the actions of the police officers were in accordance with 'regulations.' He accused the woman of 'resisting the law' and 'exposing herself,' claiming that the officers 'gathered' her with a 'blanket.' The Minister of Interior in Ebrahim Raisi's government further claimed that 'what has been reported about this incident is not accurate.' In recent days, another video has surfaced showing a police officer violently arresting a woman opposing mandatory hijab, to the point where the woman screams, 'My neck is broken,' yet the officer continues the violence and pushes her into the police vehicle. In an effort to reintroduce patrols to the streets of Iran, Islamic Republic officials have resumed violent confrontations with women opposing mandatory hijab and the men supporting them since Saturday, April 14. The severity of the police and plainclothes forces' actions against women opposing mandatory hijab has even provoked protests from some supporters of the Islamic Republic. Previously, Amnesty International had called for an end to the 'war' of the Islamic Republic against women and the repeal of the mandatory hijab law in Iran.