Iran pauses controversial new dress code law happymamay

Iran’s National Security Council has suspended implementation of the controversial “veil and chastity law,” which was scheduled to take effect Friday.

President Masoud Pezeshkian described the legislation as “vague and in need of reform,” indicating his intention to reevaluate its procedures.

The proposed new law – which would impose harsher penalties on women and girls for exposing their hair, forearms or lower legs – has been strongly criticized by human rights activists.

The strict dress code imposed on women and girls, which has been treated as a national security priority by the rulers of the Islamic Republic of Iran for decades, has previously sparked protests.

Under the new law, repeat offenders and anyone who flouts the rules will face stiffer fines and longer prison sentences of up to 15 years. It will also require companies to report anyone who violates the rules.

Human rights groups expressed concern. Amnesty International said that the Iranian authorities “seek to consolidate an already stifling regime of repression.”

During the presidential election in July, candidate Pezeshkian publicly criticized the treatment of Iranian women regarding the hijab issue.

He promised not to interfere in their personal lives, a position that resonated with many Iranians, especially a younger generation frustrated with the government’s strict control.

Masoumeh Ebtekar, former Vice President for Women and Family Affairs, also criticized the law, saying: “The new legislation is an indictment of half of the Iranian people.”

The debate over the hijab gained further momentum last week when Parastou Ahmadi, a famous Iranian singer, was arrested after… Broadcasting a virtual concert without an audience on YouTube without wearing a hijab.

The concert quickly went viral, and the arrest of Ahmadi and her bandmates sparked widespread backlash. In the face of public anger, the authorities released them the next day.

Tensions surrounding the hijab have remained high since nationwide protests in 2022 sparked by the death of Mahsa “Zena” Amini, a young Kurdish woman who died in police custody after being detained for allegedly violating the dress code.

Over the past two years, many young Iranian women have removed their hijab in public, defying the government’s authority.

Last week, more than 300 Iranian human rights activists, writers, and journalists publicly condemned the new hijab law, calling it “illegal and unenforceable,” and urging Pezeshkian to fulfill his campaign promises.

Despite pressure from hardline factions close to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, it appears that many young people in Iran are not afraid to face the restrictions imposed by the regime.

Pezeshkian’s supporters believe the new hijab law will fail to discourage young women from challenging it, and may exacerbate the situation.

But supporters of the legislation put pressure on the president to move forward, criticizing the National Security Council’s hesitation and demanding that he sign the law to open the way for its implementation.

The decision to halt its implementation indicates that the government fears it will lead to another wave of mass protests, such as those we witnessed two years ago.