Businesses Sealed, Students Disciplined, and Protests Break Out
Iranian authorities have intensified their crackdown on women who fail to comply with the mandatory hijab plan in recent days.
Ahmad Vahidi, the Iranian Minister of Interior, presented a report on implementing the new hijab plan to the parliamentary commission of the councils on Monday, April 17, 2023. He stated that those who do not properly observe the hijab would receive a warning via text message. After SMS notification, if the person insists on not observing the hijab in public service centers, they will not be offered services. And if people insist on not observing hijab after this stage, the matter will be sent to the judiciary for further investigation. The report also stated that businesses, where hijab is not observed, would be sealed. (The state-run Tasnim news agency – April 18, 2023)
The clerical regime uses facial recognition technology to identify women who do not observe the veiling requirement for women.
The State Security Force closed more than 150 businesses in 24 hours for failing to comply with the requirement for women to wear headscarves, using surveillance cameras and facial recognition technology to enforce the rule.
On the first day of implementing the new Hijab Plan, which was aimed at enforcing the mandatory Hijab, 3,500 text messages were sent to businesses to ensure their clerks complied with the rules. Unfortunately, 137 shops, stores, 18 restaurants, and salons were sealed, as well as a number of non-conformists were referred to judicial authorities.
Kayqobad Mustafaei, the commander of the State Security Force of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad province, has said that continuous monitoring has been carried out at the airport to ensure passengers comply with the dress code. If they refuse to do so, they will not be allowed to enter the airport. (The state-run Entekhab.ir, April 16, 2023)
Students protest the mandatory Hijab plan
The University of Kurdistan in Sanandaj has summoned a number of students due to “non-observance of hijab,” warning that they will be deprived of educational services if they continue to not adhere to the compulsory hijab. Yazd University has also pressured female students to conform to the dress code.
The intensified crackdown has sparked protests among students at Tehran University. Students from the Social Sciences School held a protest rally on April 16, while the students of Psychology and Educational Sciences held a sit-in protesting the security department’s violent reactions to those who do not comply with the mandatory Hijab and the heavy sentences issued by the disciplinary committee of the university.
