With the protest movement in Iran now in abeyance, Tehran’s national Police Command announced July 16 that the feared “morality police” will resume patrols enforcing the mandatory wearing of the hijab by the country’s women. Formally known as the Guidance Patrols (Gasht-e Ershad), the force created in 2006 was that which arrested Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, last September. Her death in custody three days later sparked the uprising that has now lasted for 10 months. The patrols were suspended for review as the protests mounted last December. Article 638 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code states that: “Women who appear in public without prescribed Islamic dress (hejab-e-shar’i), shall be sentenced to either imprisonment of between 10 days and two months, or a fine of between 50,000 and 500,000 rials.” (Jurist, BBC News, MEE)
Photo of Melbourne protest in solidarity with Iran uprising: Matt Hrkac/Flickr
Iran tightens security before anniversary of Mahsa Amini death
Ahead of the one year anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini Sept. 16, Iranian authorities heightened their presence in cities across the country Friday in anticipation of protests. One year after the death sparked mass protests, the mandatory hijab law is still in place, and Iran’s leadership still denies Amini was beaten to death. But in the streets of the capital, Tehran, more women openly walk without the hijab. (Jurist, PBS)