The “Chastity and Hijab” Law is Criminal and Inhumane, and Strongly Condemned

After months of being passed back and forth between the regime’s Parliament and the Guardian Council, and a year-and-a-half after the regime’s judiciary drafted it, the so-called “Chastity and Hijab” law was finally published on November 30, 2024, in 74 articles across five chapters.
The third chapter of this criminal law –that flagrantly violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international conventions such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and conventions related to women’s rights– obliges many ministries, organizations, and municipalities to go beyond the duties of guidance patrols in cracking down on improper hijab and its removal.
In addition to targeting women under the guise of enforcing hijab rules, this law imposes severe penalties on government employees, business owners, and others who refuse to cooperate with the regime’s enforcement measures. Those who fail to report or act against individuals opposing mandatory hijab, or who refuse to enforce the law, face punishments including five to six years of suspension from public service, fines equivalent to two to six months’ worth of business income, or other significant financial penalties.
To suppress protests and prevent the spread of dissent among women and the broader society, the law also assigns the Ministry of Intelligence, the police intelligence unit (FARAJA), and the IRGC Intelligence Organization to enforce measures against noncompliance with hijab rules.
The misogynistic “Chastity and Hijab” law is criminal and inhumane and is strongly condemned.
Through this oppressive law and by employing repressive forces, Khamenei seeks to subjugate society, particularly women who are at the forefront of the struggle against religious fascism. Neither daily executions nor misogynistic laws will remedy this regime’s predicament.
Once again, I reiterate, “No to compulsory hijab, no to compulsory religion, and no to compulsory governance.”