19-03-2025
Iran: No more hijab street patrols
Shafaq New/ Iran has officially disbanded its morality police, which enforced the country's mandatory hijab laws, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf announced.
Qalibaf confirmed that the revised law eliminates the "Guidance Patrols", but he emphasized that hijab laws remain in effect, according to local media. The amendments, he said, aim to change enforcement methods and foster public consensus on the issue.
The decision follows years of public defiance against hijab mandates, particularly after the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini in police custody, which sparked mass protests and international condemnation, pressuring the government to modify its approach.
In February 2025, a woman in Mashhad staged a dramatic demonstration, undressing and climbing onto a police car to protest dress code enforcement. Her act followed the December passage of the Chastity and Hijab Law, which introduced harsher penalties for violations.
Human rights organizations have denounced Iran's continued enforcement of hijab laws. Human Rights Watch criticized the legislation for introducing severe punishments, including fines, imprisonment, and even the death penalty for repeat offenders. Amnesty International described the law as an effort to "suppress opposition to compulsory veiling."
