Iranian police said on Saturday they had begun implementing measures to identify and punish women who violate the dress code imposed in the Islamic Republic, using “smart” technology.
Iranian police said on Saturday they had “starting today” “carefully planned actions” on public roads, vehicles and “sites where the hijab is sometimes removed” to punish women who violate the code. clothing imposed in the country.
“In this context, the technology will be used for the intelligent identification of people who break the law,” the police said in a statement on their website.
More and more women are challenging the dress code
These new measures come at a time when more and more women are defying the compulsory dress code in Iran, in particular the wearing of the veil, since the beginning of the demonstrations triggered by the death in detention, on September 16, of Mahsa Amini, arrested for violation of the strict dress code.
“According to the laws in force, removing the hijab is considered a crime,” warned Hassan Mofakhami, chief of police security, quoted in the press release. “People who break the law are responsible for their actions and must be held accountable for their behavior,” he added.
Hassan Mofakhami also promised to warn companies whose employees remove their hijab at their workplace, before closing their premises in the event of a recurrence.
Warning, then presentation to court
Police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan had already said last week that “people who remove their veils will be identified using smart equipment”. He also announced that people who remove their hijab in public places will first receive a warning and then be brought before the courts.”
According to him, car owners will also receive a warning message if a passenger violates the dress code. They risk having their vehicle seized in the event of a repeat offence. In late March, the head of the judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, warned that anyone who removes the veil would be “punished”.
