
Drones, informers and apps: Iran intensifies surveillance on women to enforce hijab law
Like many women in Iran, Darya is used to feeling under surveillance. Yet in recent months, the 25-year-old finance analyst from northern Tehran says that she never knows who could be watching her every move.
She says she has received messages from the police before warning her of suspected violations of the country's strict hijab laws, but last November she was sent an SMS message containing her car registration plate that stated the exact time and place that she had been recorded driving without her head properly covered. Next time it happened, the SMS warned, her car would be impounded.
'It was really unsettling,' she says.
'When you receive these messages you don't know who has reported you – and the police never seem to have proof of the violation.'
After widespread outcry last year, the Iranian authorities said they would suspend enforcement of the new, strict, hijab laws, which impose draconian penalties – including fines and prison sentences – on women found in breach of the mandatory dress code.
Yet women in Iran are reporting that state surveillance has been steadily increasing.
Last week, the UN's fact-finding mission reported on Iran's increasing reliance on digital surveillance such as its Nazer mobile application, a state-backed reporting platform that allows citizens and police to report women for alleged violations.
The app is accessible only via Iran's state-controlled National Information Network. Members of the public can apply to become 'hijab monitors' to get the app and begin filing reports, which are then passed to the police.
According to the UN mission, the app has recently been expanded to allow users to upload the time, location and licence plate of a car in which a woman has been seen without a hijab.
It can also now be used to report women for hijab violations on public transport, in taxis and even in ambulances.
According to the UN report, aerial surveillance using drones has also been used at events such as the Tehran international book fair and on the island of Kish, a tourist destination, to identify women not complying with the hijab law.
The government has also increased online monitoring, blocking women's Instagram accounts for non-compliance of hijab laws, and issuing warnings via text message. CCTV surveillance and facial-recognition technology has also been installed at universities. 'This 'digital repression' is not only stifling academic freedom but also causing increased psychological stress among students,' says a spokesperson for the Amirkabir Newsletter, an Iranian student media group.
Sign up to Global Dispatch
Get a different world view with a roundup of the best news, features and pictures, curated by our global development team
after newsletter promotion
Skylar Thompson, deputy director of Human Rights Activists in Iran, says the app represents a dangerous escalation in the regime's digital surveillance efforts. 'Not only does this app reinforce gender-based discrimination and empower a culture of fear, but its flaws also raise serious concerns about wrongful arrests and detentions.'
Last July Arezoo Badri, a 31-year-old mother of two, was shot and paralysed when a police officer opened fire on her vehicle in Noor city, Mazandaran province, after her car was reportedly flagged for a hijab violation.
Yet Darya, like many others, is resolute in her defiance. 'If you walk through the streets, you'll see that many of us have stopped wearing the hijab despite these intimidation tactics,' she says.
'The money they are wasting on this surveillance could actually help some people survive.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

The National
an hour ago
- The National
The whole world is watching the Madleen's journey to Gaza on social media
But it's now 2025, and the whole world is watching as the Madleen continues on its way to Gaza – and while it is barely on the running lists of broadcasters, it is flooding the social media pages of millions of people on Instagram, TikTok and X. The 12 people on board the vessel, members of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, are hoping to deliver much-needed aid and break Israel's humanitarian blockade on Gaza. But Israel is trying to stop them. Just this afternoon, Israel's defence minister Israel Katz said he had ordered the military to intercept the vessel before it can reach Gaza. With less than 24 hours to go until the ship is expected to reach its destination, it has never been more important for the international community to bear witness. And thanks to social media, the efforts of the group – and Israel's efforts to prevent them – cannot be ignored. READ MORE: LIVE: Latest updates as Freedom Flotilla nears Gaza Take the presence of climate activist Greta Thunberg, using her fame to the crew's advantage and hoping to keep the eyes of the Western media, who are usually keen to criticise her every move, on the ship to guarantee it's safety. And, we are seeing the journey of the Madleen in real time. The ship's tracker is available online and can pinpoint exactly where it is at any given moment. This is vital in ensuring accountability for any attacks or attempts to intercept the vessel. At least, we could see the tracker until earlier today, when it lost signal for around an hour and displayed the ship's coordinates as being in Jordan. The group later said that the issue was due to 'signal jamming', and they set up a new tracker which is currently working as it should. The group remain on course, undeterred, even though an attack may be imminent. As the Freedom Flotilla Coalition said: 'The tracker is not simply a navigation tool; it is a form of protection'. The Madleen's journey is visible to all, making it harder for any interceptions to go ignored or unchallenged. The 12 individuals on board – which also includes French-Palestinian MEP Rima Hassan – have also utilised social media to ensure that their journey is broadcast to the entire world. READ MORE: Freedom Flotilla urges UK Government to 'protect' ship from Israel as it nears Gaza When drones began to hover above the ship, we knew about it. When the ship had to divert its course to a mayday call, we could track its movements as it happened. Constant updates, tweets and livestreams are shared on social media, ensuring that everything can be recorded and remembered. One short clip shows an activist walking across the deck of the ship, a Palestinian flag waving in the wind, a bright blue sea in front of her. It's activism in a social media age. Using the tactics of influencers who are usually trying to sell sponsored products to their masses of followers, but to shine light on a genocide and their brave attempt to break the Gaza siege. By broadcasting the intimidation the Madleen is experiencing, the crew is not seeking to undermine the brutal bombardment, starvation and displacement Palestinians are experiencing at the hands of Israel. As Thunberg shared recently on her own social media: "Keep all eyes on deck but above all, all eyes on Palestine and all oppressed people." The Madleen's journey so far demonstrates the aggression humanitarian organisations face when trying to deliver aid in Gaza. When Israel has banned foreign press from entering the enclave, and it continues to bomb the few Palestinian journalists who remain, this is an important insight that ensures accountability and transparency. We are witnessing a crucial moment in Israel's assault on Gaza – one that could have huge international implications if the Madleen is subject to attack. The next 24 hours will decide everything. And no matter what happens, we will be watching. More likely than not, it will be through our phones and devices.


Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Israel speedboats 'are circling the freedom flotilla' after vowing to intercept vessel and stop 'Greta Thunberg reaching Gaza'
Israeli speedboats are reportedly circling the Freedom flotilla after vowing to intercept the vessel and stop Greta Thunberg reaching Gaza. Five vessels are said to be surrounding Freedom flotilla, with the captain instructing the team to stay calm and seated with their passports and lifejackets on, according to a UN special reporter with the group. Francesca Albanese wrote on X: 'I hear them speaking with Israeli soldiers as I type... telling [them] they are carrying humanitarian aid and going in peace. For the time being they are just circled. I am with them, recording everything.' The group previously claimed they 'will not turn back' as they journey to Gaza despite Israel vowing Ms Thunberg will never arrive at the war-torn city. Taking to Instagram, member Yasemin Acar defiantly said the activists would not be returning to Catania, Sicily, from where they set off last Sunday. 'We are unarmed, we are peaceful, we are carrying only humanitarian aid, food, medicine, and supplies desperately needed by the starving population in Gaza,' she said. 'We are not a threat here, the threat is the blockade, the threat is the bombs, the threat is the ongoing starvation of an entire population. 'The threat is the systematic killing of civilians, the threat is genocide. If Israel was not occupying Palestine, if there wasn't nearly 80 years of ethnic cleansing, if our own governments weren't giving Israel full impunity, arming it instead of holding it accountable, if they sent aid instead of bombs we would not be here,' Acar added. 'We are here because our leaders have failed, because silence is complicity, because human lives are being treated as expendable. 'We are here for Gaza. If Israel uses violence against us, a peaceful humanitarian mission, it will be yet another war crime added to the long and growing list of Israel. 'We refuse to be intimidated, we refuse to be silent, we stand with Gaza, we stand with the people, we stand for justice, dignity and life. The blockade must end, the killing must stop, the world must act,' she concluded. The Israeli army have reportedly announced the deployment of three commandos and 25 soldiers to attempt to stop the flotilla, which is now less than 24 hours away from the coast of Gaza. The message comes after Israel issued an ominous warning to Greta Thunberg, claiming the environmental activist will not make it to the Gaza Strip on her 'freedom flotilla'. Ms Thunberg, 22, is among 12 activists on board the ship, hoping to 'break [Israel's] siege on the Gaza Strip' with a delivery of humanitarian aid. She is joined by Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham and Rima Hassan, a French MEP, aiming to raise awareness of the ongoing crisis in the region. The vessel is expected to reach Gaza this weekend, having set off from Catania in Sicily last Sunday. But the Israel Defence Forces has now been ordered to stop the ship in its tracks and has accused Ms Thunberg of being an 'antisemite travelling with Hamas propogandists'. Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Israel would not allow anyone to break its naval blockade of the Palestinian territory, which he said was aimed at preventing Hamas from importing arms. 'I have instructed the IDF to act so that the hate flotilla … does not reach the shores of Gaza – and to take all necessary measures to that end 'To the antisemitic Greta [Thunberg] and her friends who echo Hamas propaganda, I say clearly: You'd better turn back – because you will not reach Gaza,' he said. 'Israel will act against any attempt to break the blockade or to assist terrorist organisations – by sea, by air, and by land.' Responding to Katz on Sunday, they said: 'The statement by Israel's defence minister is yet another example of Israel threatening the unlawful use of force against civilians – and attempting to justify that violence with smears. 'We will not be intimidated,' it added. 'The world is watching.' 'We are monitoring the situation closely,' the Freedom Flotilla Coalition said. 'We remain calm, resolute, and prepared for the possibility of an Israeli attack. We reiterate our call to world governments to demand that Israel stand down. Israel has no right to obstruct our effort to reach Gaza.' The activists had said they planned to reach Gaza's territorial waters as early as Sunday. Thiago Ávila, a Brazilian activist on board the boat, posted a video on social media on Sunday afternoon saying someone appeared to be jamming their tracking and communication devices about 160 nautical miles from Gaza. Ms Hassan, who is of Palestinian descent, is among the others onboard. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. It was previously reported that the IDF had begun deploying security forces in the area the vessel was due to land in, according to the Jerusalem Post. A senior Israeli defence source told the outlet that Israel will not allow the ship to enter Gaza, and that the activists face arrest if they disobey the military. Military sources said the activists will be told clearly not to enter the area, and that the elite forces are preparing for the eventuality they defy the order or 'provoke' the IDF. The IDF may take control of the vessel, arrest the protestors and transfer them to the port in Ashdod to be deported, the outlet reports. The Israeli Army said previously that it is 'prepared' to raid the ship, as it has done with previous freedom flotilla efforts. 'For this case as well, we are prepared,' IDF spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said. 'We have gained experience in recent years, and we will act accordingly.' The activists have already raised concern for their safety, noting a drone attack on a Freedom Flotilla Coalition ship off the coast of Malta in May. Thunberg's shipmate issued a drone alert on the 'third day of our journey to Gaza to break the siege'. An Israeli drone operated by Greece's Hellenic Coastguard reportedly followed the Madleen flotilla, hovering above it for two consecutive nights on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Heron drone, developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), is capable of carrying payloads up to 1,000kg and flying for 52 continuous hours. The Madleen, still crossing the Mediterranean east towards Gaza, reportedly changed course this morning to respond to a migrant distress call. Sources told Al Jazeera the ship had detected a migrant boat, estimated to be carrying around 40 asylum seekers. Ahead of their departure on Sunday, Thunberg said: 'We are doing this because, no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying'. 'Because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity. And no matter how dangerous this mission is, it's not even near as dangerous as the silence of the entire world in the face of the live-streamed genocide,' she added. Israel, which was founded in the aftermath of the Holocaust, has adamantly rejected genocide allegations against it as an anti-Semitic 'blood libel'. Fellow activist Thiago Avila said: 'We are breaking the siege of Gaza by sea, but that's part of a broader strategy of mobilizations that will also attempt to break the siege by land.' Avila cited the upcoming Global March to Gaza - an international initiative also open to doctors, lawyers and media - which is set to leave Egypt and reach the Rafah crossing in mid-June to stage a protest there, asking Israel to stop the Gaza offensive and reopen the border. Israel imposed a blockade on supplies into Gaza on March 2, and limited aid began to enter again late last month after pressure from allies and warnings of famine. Food security experts one in five people in Gaza now face starvation after Israel enacted its blockade. Gaza is almost completely reliant on international aid because Israel's offensive has destroyed nearly all food production capabilities. In April, ActionAid reported that the price of flour in Gaza had soared to $300 a bag after more than 50 days without new aid deliveries. Most people are now surviving on a single meal per day, consisting mostly of pasta, rice or canned food, it reported. More than 3,700 children were newly admitted for treatment for acute malnutrition in March alone, it said, an 80 per cent rise on the previous month, per UNOCHA. UN Security Council members criticised the US on Wednesday after it vetoed a resolution calling for a ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access in Gaza, which Washington said undermined ongoing diplomacy. It was the 15-member body's first vote on the situation since November, when the United States - a key Israeli ally - also blocked a text calling for an end to fighting. The draft resolution had demanded 'an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza respected by all parties.' It also called for the 'immediate, dignified and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups,' and demanded the lifting of all restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. But Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement after Wednesday's 14 to 1 vote: 'Today, the United States sent a strong message by vetoing a counterproductive UN Security Council resolution on Gaza targeting Israel. 'The United States will continue to stand with Israel at the UN.' The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and abducting 251. They are still holding 58 hostages, a third of them believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals.


Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Chris Brown's 'crazy tour budget' as he returns to the stage after UK arrest
Chris Brown has returned to the stage for the first time since his arrest in the UK as the singer entertained crowds at a concert in Amsterdam's Johan Cruyff Arena Chris Brown's fans reacted as the singer returned to the stage following his UK arrest last month. The singer was in Amsterdam to kick off his Breezy Bowl XX tour, which is celebrating 20 years of his career. Followers of the controversial star took to social media to share snippets from the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam which showed an impressive stage set up. Among his lavish designs was a huge human statue that toward over the surrounding, which the star is thought to have performed on. Uploading a clip to Twitter/X, one user wrote: "the budget for this chris brown tour is crazy, he's not playing about his 20 years of career," followed by a flame emoji. Another said: "Oh my GOD," as they showcased the set up in their own video. And a third added an image of the statue with the crowd looking up at the performer. His Amsterdam gig comes after he was arrested in the UK last month. His arrest came after he was accused of using a bottle to cause bodily harm to music producer Abe Diaw during a night out at London's Tape nightclub in Mayfair on February 19, 2023. On May 15 this year, Brown was arrested at the Lowry Hotel in Salford. He had recently jetted into nearby Manchester Airport to rehearse for his upcoming Breezy Bowl XX 20th anniversary tour. The singer has been charged with one count of grievous bodily harm. He was initially denied bail and is expected to appear in person at Southwark Crown Court next month. District Judge Joanna Hirst told the court that the charge was too serious to be dealt with at the magistrates ' court. However, the 36-year-old star was later granted bail following a court plea. He was ordered to pay a £5 million security fee to the court. The financial guarantee is to ensure a defendant returns to court and may be forfeited if they breach bail conditions. His lawyer, Grace Forbes, had argued that he was a public figure known worldwide as they pleaded for bail to be granted. As well as his Amsterdam performance, Brown is scheduled to perform in cities across the UK, including Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, London and Cardiff. Despite his arrest, Brown's bail conditions enable him to continue with his scheduled international tour this year, including in the UK later this month and July. Following his release on bail, the American singer took to Instagram to tell his 144million followers: "From the cage to the stage!!! Breezybowl." Brown's bold post was seemingly in reference to the fact his bail conditions allow him to honour his tour commitments and perform across Europe ahead of his court date next month.