TEHRAN: The Iranian parliament passed the new ‘hijab and chastity bill’ on Saturday, imposing stricter penalties on women not wearing hijab or defying mandatory hijab regulations.
The legislation imposes fines equivalent to up to 20 months of the average salary for women who improperly wear a hijab or forgo it altogether in public or on social media.
Fines must be paid within 10 days, failing which violators will face restrictions on access to government services, such as the issuance or renewal of passports, driver’s licenses, and exit permits.
The bill also requires authorities to issue verbal and written warnings to individuals who oppose the compulsory hijab. The legislation added that authorities’ noncompliance would result in fines or the dismissal of the institutions’ officials.
It also criminalizes the design or promotion of items such as clothing, statues, and toys deemed to encourage “nudity” or lack of veiling. The new law has criminalized encouragement to defy hijab rules, as well as derision and insults to women for wearing it.
Such offenses will be punishable by cash fines, refusal of an exit permit to leave the country, a ban of six months to two years on social media activity, a prison sentence of two to six years, or 74 lashes.
The controversial bill required the president’s signature on December 13 to take effect. However, Iranian media reported that President Masoud Pezeshkian has expressed doubts about new legislation imposing tougher penalties on women who flout mandatory hijab regulations.
“As the person responsible for promulgating this law, I have many reservations about it,” Pezeshkian told state television late Monday.
