Iran is set to reimpose the Islamic veil on women, a rule that will be monitored using surveillance cameras, as groups of students have announced protests against the measure’s return.
“The implementation of the veil and chastity plan will begin tomorrow,” Iranian police chief Ahmad Erza Radan announced Friday, quoted by Hammihan daily.
The country’s chief of police assured that “the cameras make no mistakes” in identifying women who do not cover themselves with the veil, which has been mandatory in Iran since 1983.
A week ago, the Iranian police announced that they will use cameras in several places to identify women who do not wear the ‘hijab’.
Women who are identified without headscarves receive a text message informing them of the crime. If they recidivate, they will be charged and must appear in court.
The law punishes women who don’t wear a headscarf with fines and sentences of up to two months in prison, but authorities are considering other options, such as banning them from using banking services.
Authorities have also warned shops and restaurants not to serve discovered women and several establishments have closed for this reason.
At the beginning of April, the Ministries of Education and Health announced that they would not allow female students without a headscarf at universities and institutes.
Several student organizations announced protests before Saturday against the imposition of the new measure.
“We have to respond to the repressive measures of the government with demonstrations, protests, concentrations and graffiti,” several student organizations charged in a statement.
Many women have stopped wearing the mandatory Islamic veil as a form of protest and civil disobedience since the September death of Mahsa Amini, arrested for not wearing the ‘hijab’ correctly.
Amini’s death, which occurred while in detention, sparked protests across the country, culminating in a political outcry against the Islamic Republic, with significant participation from universities, institutes and schools.
The repression of the protests caused about 500 deaths, including several police officers, thousands of prisoners and four hangings.
Source: DN
