UN experts call on Iran to repeal new hijab and chastity law

By Peter Kenny

GENEVA (AA) - UN experts called on Iran’s government to immediately repeal a new law that from Friday imposes a series of new penalties on women and girls who fail to wear a hijab.

“The new hijab law marks an intensification of state control over women’s bodies in Iran and is a further assault on women’s rights and freedoms,” the experts said.

They said that the Law on Protecting the Family through the Promotion of the Culture of Chastity and Hijab is reportedly set to come into force on Friday.

It provides for the punishment of those aged 12 and above who fail to wear a hijab online or offline, and for “promoting or advertising nudity” or “immodest or improper dressing”.

The experts noted that while the failure to wear a hijab is already punishable with fines and imprisonment under Iran’s existing Islamic Penal Code, the new law introduces heftier fines and longer prison sentences of up to 15 years.

It also allows for the possibility for judges to apply the death penalty under the offense of “corruption on earth.”

“The new law constitutes a clear violation of fundamental human rights, legal norms, and principles, including women’s rights to equality, freedom of expression, religion and belief, bodily autonomy, liberty, security, and privacy,” the experts said.

The experts include Mai Sato, UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran; Nazila Ghanea, special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief; Reem Alsalem, special rapporteur on violence against women and girls; and Irene Khan, special rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression.

The experts are also concerned about using “state-led propaganda” to shape educational content and cultural norms to enforce mandatory veiling, the “culture of chastity”, and "family-oriented" values.

By embedding such ideals further into curricula, training programs, and public information campaigns, the law seeks to impose a state-sanctioned value system, limiting the freedom of expression and opinion and freedom of religion and belief, said the experts.

“The law also delegates part of the enforcement to private actors and citizens,” said the experts.

“It requires individuals, families, and businesses to report instances of unveiling and expects extensive use of technology to enforce it. These requirements will create a climate of fear and distrust among individuals and communities.”

In addition, the severe economic punishments are likely to disproportionately impact vulnerable populations and groups, including children, young persons, and social media users, the experts said.