The United Nations on Friday, September 22, urged Iranian officials to repeal a recent law that significantly raises punishments for women who violate the stringent Islamic dress code, condemning it as “oppressive and degrading.”
The UN called Friday on Iranian authorities to scrap a new law that dramatically increases penalties for women who flout strict Islamic dress code, describing it as “repressive and demeaning”.
The United Nations rights office said it deeply regretted the passage of the so-called Chastity and Hijab Bill, which threatens Iranian women who flout the strict Islamic dress code mandating head coverings and modest clothing with up to 10 years behind bars.
In addition to long jail sentences and heavy fines, those found in breach could under the same bill be flogged and face travel restrictions.
The push in Iran to step up penalties comes a year after a wave of protests sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who had been arrested for allegedly breaching the rules.
Since then, a growing number of Iranian women have been seen in public without hijab head scarves or observing the rules against clothes that are deemed too tight-fitting or otherwise revealing.
Khalil Wakim, with AFP
