Enforcing the Hijab: Iran Plans to Use Cameras to Identify Unveiled Women

Enforcing the Hijab: Iran Plans to Use Cameras to Identify Unveiled Women
Milan Malkomes via Unsplash

12-04-2023

Bilge Ece Zeyrek

Middle East and Human Rights Researcher

Global Human Rights Defence

In an effort to enforce Iran’s strict Islamic dress code, authorities plan to use cameras in public places to identify women who are not wearing the hijab, as announced by the police. [1] The police will be utilizing smart technology, including tools and intelligent cameras, in public areas to identify and penalize dress code violators. Subsequently, proof and warning messages will be sent to inform the offenders about the legal repercussions of repeating the offense.

Following the death of Mahsa Amini, an increasing number of women in larger cities have been abandoning their veils, despite the potential risk of arrest. According to Ahmad-Reza Radan, the police chief of Iran, as expressed in an interview on state television, women who remove their veil will be identified using smart equipment starting on April 15, 2023. [2] Radan stated that those who violate the hijab dress code in public places will receive a warning initially and may be presented to the courts as the next step. Additionally, car owners will be sent a warning text message if any of their passengers violate the dress code, and repeated offenses may result in the seizure of their vehicles. [3]

Incidents of public attacks against women who do not wear veils are not rare. Recently, a video showing a man throwing yogurt at two unveiled women was circulated widely online, resulting in the arrest of the two women and the man. [4] After this incident, emphasizing that there will be no stepping back from the compulsory hijab law, Iranian authorities stated that “hijab is an unquestionable religious necessity.” [5] Soon, technological surveillance will be used to enforce the mandatory hijab law.



Sources and Further Reading

[1] Zahid Mahmood & Fariba Sahraei, ‘Iran installs cameras to identify women breaking dress code’ (CNN, 8 April 2023) <https://edition.cnn.com/2023/04/08/middleeast/iran-cameras-unveiled-women-intl/index.html> accessed 12 April 2023.

[2] The Guardian, ‘Iranian police plan to use smart cameras to identify ‘violators of hijab law’’ (8 April 2023) <https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/08/iranian-police-plan-to-use-smart-cameras-to-identify-violators-of-hijab-law>  accessed 12 April 2023.

[3] ibid.

[4]  Alys Davies, ‘Two Iranian women arrested for not covering hair after man attacks them with yoghurt’ (BBC, 1 April 2023). <https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-65150135> accessed 12 April 2023.

[5] Sahar Akbarzai, ‘Iranian women arrested for not wearing hijab after yogurt thrown on them’, (CNN, April 4 2023) <https://edition.cnn.com/2023/04/02/middleeast/women-arrested-hijab-yogurt-iran-intl/index.html> accessed 12 April 2023.