Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Speaker of the Iranian regime’s Majlis (parliament), announced the upcoming enactment of the new “Hijab and Chastity” bill. According to state-run media reports, he stated that this bill will be issued on December 13, with specific responsibilities outlined for each government agency regarding the enforcement of hijab regulations. Ghalibaf also claimed that the bill would eliminate the presence of the morality police.
To justify the repressive “Hijab and Chastity” initiative, Ghalibaf stated on Wednesday, November 27, that the bill categorizes violations such as “removal of hijab, improper hijab, and nudity.” According to him, an initial violation will result in a text message warning, followed by an official reprimand. At the first level, a fine will be imposed without further action. Repeated violations will incur a second fine, but imprisonment will no longer be an option in such cases.
The “Hijab and Chastity” law, passed by the Majlis in September 2023 and ratified by the Guardian Council in October 2024, has faced widespread opposition from human rights and civil society activists. These protests were largely expressed on social media platforms.
Majid Ansari, the Iranian regime president’s legal deputy, recently stated that despite its approval, the “Hijab and Chastity” law remains suspended. However, under governmental rules, if the president does not formally enact parliamentary legislation, the Speaker of the Majlis is authorized to do so.
Massoud Pezeshkian, the Iranian regime’s president, during his election campaign, introduced the “Light” policing approach to deal with opponents of mandatory hijab but cynically referred to it as “Darkness.” He advocated for dignified treatment of women. However, after ascending to power, he has abandoned these promises.
Ghalibaf further claimed that the bill aims to prevent direct confrontations and altercations. He added that under the new law, the morality police will no longer exist, and its enforcement mechanisms are explicitly outlined.
The “Hijab and Chastity” bill, introduced after the 2022 uprising, imposes heavy fines and penalties on opponents of mandatory hijab.
What remains concerning is the Iranian government’s persistent use of hijab as a tool to control women and society as a whole. This issue goes beyond hijab, representing an effort to suppress any public dissent or opposition. In essence, hijab has become a pretext for the regime to wield stringent laws and repressive measures to control the country’s social and political landscape.
These policies are essentially an attempt to stifle the growing social protests that have been gradually emerging. Iranian women, as one of the main social groups facing heavy governmental pressures, are consistently deprived of their basic rights and subjected to systematic repression.
Despite this repression, the voices of Iranian women remain strong. They continue their efforts through various means, including protests and online activism, to convey their demands to the global community. Although the regime employs repressive tools such as text warnings and car confiscations to silence these voices, Iranian women have demonstrated unwavering determination in their pursuit of rights. This resilience signifies a deep-rooted social movement born out of years of inequality and oppression.
