Iranian MP Warns Travel Ban Considered For Hijab Defiance
Iranian MP Mehdi Bagheri has warned that a travel ban is being considered as one of the penalties for defying compulsory hijab as crackdowns on the Islamic dress code continue.
Iranian MP Mehdi Bagheri has warned that a travel ban is being considered as one of the penalties for defying compulsory hijab as crackdowns on the Islamic dress code continue.
In an interview with Khabar Online, Bagheri warned, "A person who does not respect the law, does not accept the law, and in a way rebels against it, will be deprived of services provided in the country, including foreign travel."
Travel bans have already been imposed on the likes of celebrities for voicing dissent against the government since the 2022 Women, Life, Freedom uprising, but the punishment for hijab defiance comes amidst deepening punishments for women daring to defy the Islamic dress code.
The government continues to lose control of the mass rebellion which has followed the death in morality police custody of Mahsa Amini in 2022, for allegedly not wearing her hijab properly, which led to the biggest uprising since the founding of the Islamic Republic in 1979.
Bagheri, whose popularity waned in recent elections, further discussed the consequences for government employees failing to adhere to compulsory hijab, suggesting that under the latest ‘Chastity and Hijab’ bill, judges could consider penalties such as being denied promotion or facing temporary or permanent dismissal from service.
He also emphasized the potential for imprisonment for women resisting compulsory hijab. Morality police patrols continue alongside surveillance across Iran, with uncovered women banned from public places and thousands already arrested for defiance and imprisoned on trumped up charges such as compromising state security.
Senior officials within the Iranian government have been emphasizing the continuation of enforcing compulsory hijab for women. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei labeled hijab as a "religious duty" on April 3, condemning attempts to challenge its enforcement within Iran. Khamenei attributed such challenges to foreign instigation aimed at undermining the norms regarding hijab.
Khamenei emphasized that even women who do not adhere to Sharia law are obliged to observe compulsory hijab.
