Reports obtained from state media reveal that Iranian police are resuming their antagonistic patrols aimed at enforcing dress codes and compelling women to cover their hair while in public.
A spokesman stated on Sunday that the ‘morality police’ would be back on the streets to enforce Iran’s hijab laws.
The ‘morality police’ announcement to return to the streets is made almost a year after the tragic death of Mahsa Amini, who was arrested in Tehran for allegedly breaking the dress code.
Massive national protests erupted following Mahsa Amini’s death, prompting authorities to halt the patrols. However, Islamic hardliners have been consistently calling for the patrols to be reinstated.
In accordance with Iran’s interpretation of Sharia, women are required by law to wear a hijab (headscarf) to cover their hair and don long, loose garments to conceal their bodies.
The role of the ‘morality police’ unit is to guarantee adherence to these rules and arrest individuals perceived to be dressed in a way considered ‘improper’ under the guidelines.
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According to the hardline Tasnim news agency, police spokesman Saeed Montazerolmahdi emphasised that during the patrols, officers will first provide warnings to women who are not obeying the rules.
In cases of non-compliance with the warnings, he stressed that the police may consider implementing ‘legal action.’
The morality police arrested 22-year-old Mahsa Amini during her family’s visit to Tehran in September, accusing her of wearing her hijab inappropriately.
On reaching the detention center for ‘education,’ Mahsa Amini experienced a collapse. Reports emerged, stating that officers were accused of striking her head with a baton and forcefully banging her head against one of their vehicles.
In the aftermath of the protests, numerous women chose to stop wearing hijabs altogether, marking a significant and direct challenge to the authority of the clerics in Iran. This act of defiance was the most substantial and direct opposition to clerical rule since the 1979 revolution.
Videos circulating on social media indicate that, until recently, it was increasingly common to see women not wearing hijabs in public, suggesting a shift in societal norms regarding dress codes in Iran.
In response to the increasing number of women not wearing hijabs, Iranian authorities implemented stricter punishments, such as enforcing business closures for establishments that failed to adhere to the hijab laws.