Iranian Women Face 10 Years in Jail for Inappropriate Dressing Under Hijab Bill

Iran’s parliament has passed a controversial bill that would increase prison terms and fines for women and girls who break its strict dress code. Those dressed “inappropriately” face up to 10 years in jail under the bill, for which a three-year “trial” was agreed. It still needs to be approved by the Guardian Council to become law. The move comes a year after protests erupted over the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, who was held by morality police for an allegedly improper hijab. Women burnt their headscarves or waved them in the air at the nationwide demonstrations against the clerical establishment, during which hundreds of people were reportedly killed in a crackdown by security forces. A growing number of women and girls have stopped covering their hair in public altogether as the unrest has subsided, despite the return of the morality police to the streets and the installation of surveillance cameras. Under Iranian law, which is based on the country’s interpretation of Sharia, women and girls above the age of puberty must cover their hair with a hijab and wear long, loose-fitting clothing to disguise their figures. Currently, those not complying risk a prison term of between 10 days and two months or a fine of between 5,000 and 500,000 rials. On Wednesday, members of parliament voted by 152 to 34 to pass the “Hijab and Chastity Bill”, which says people who are caught dressed “inappropriately” in public places will be subject to a “fourth degree” punishment. The bill will now be sent for approval by the Guardian Council, a conservative body of clerics and jurists who have the power to veto the bill if they consider it inconsistent with the constitution and Sharia.

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