As Iran's Hijab War Fails, MP Calls For 'Modesty' Crackdown On Men
As women en-masse defy the mandatory hijab in Iran, an Iranian member of parliament urged for modesty rules for men as well.
As women en-masse defy the mandatory hijab in Iran, an Iranian member of parliament urged for modesty rules for men as well.
Alireza Pak-Fetrat said on Wednesday that men with tattoos must keep them covered, so as not to break Islamic law, which forbids tattoos as an unholy and unnecessary body ornament, defacing the sacred physical body.
He also stressed that men must ensure their clothing appropriately covers their bodies, such as when riding bikes or sitting in public places, so as not to tempt women by revealing bare skin.
Heated debates over a new bill about how to deal with women who refuse to observe compulsory hijab continues inside and outside the Iranian parliament. The bill mainly relies on cash fines to force women to wear the hijab.
The uprising that was sparked by the death in police custody of Amini has made it increasingly difficult for the clerical regime to enforce the mandatory Islamic dress code. Since the beginning of the ‘Women, Life, Liberty’ movement in September last year, thousands of girls and women have set fire to their headscarves in a symbolic move and voiced opposition to compulsory hijab.
To avoid the public backlash over the violent enforcement of hijab laws, the Islamic Republic has recently begun implementing a wide range of measures from public humiliation tactics -- such as preventing women without hijab to enter subway stations and public places -- to using traffic cameras to identify women without hijab.
