ALBAWABA - In a remarkable move, the Iranian government has decided to dismantle the morality police, a unit formed in 2005 to enforce regulations on modest dress and chaste behaviors.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf announced the news on his official X account by saying: "The hijab had a law before the current law was passed, and there is no legal vacuum in this regard; now a law was supposed to be passed that would address both the positive and negative aspects."
The Iranian official added: "In the current law, the guidance patrol has been completely dismantled, but the government has some problems in other areas that should be addressed..."
Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf didn't mention when will the bill take effect. However, he mentioned that dismantling the morality police won't mean scrubbing hijab law enforcement as laws will remain legally enforced under existing laws.
Iran will be enforcing a new law which will punish hijab violations, including restrictions for teenagers as young as 12. In addition, those who continue to violate the law will face prison terms of up to 15 years.
The new decision by the Iranian parliament reminded people of the story of activist Mahsa Amini, 22, who was arrested by the morality police for wearing her hijab "improperly" and was beaten, then entered a coma for three days before she passed away on Sept. 16, 2022.
Viral protests erupted in Iran where people, especially women, burnt their hijabs and cut their hair in support of Mahsa Amini and in protest to the Iranian hijab laws and the country's strict dress code.
In this Photograph taken on July 23, 2007, a moral police van departs from the police headquarters for a mission to enforce the Islamic dress code in the capital Tehran. (Photo by Behrouz MEHRI / AFP)
On the other hand, local media revealed that Iranain authorities have arrested five Kurdish activists; Baran Saeedi, Souma Rezaei, Suheila Motaei, and Leila Bashai as they remain arbitrarily detention in solitary confinement after taking part in International Women's Day events in Kurdistan province.
Authorities intensified their crackdown on women's rights activists, journalists, singers, and activists or anyone who speaks up for equality or opposes mandatory hijab laws.
