Iran adopted Reverse Chastity Act for Clothing

Iran recently passed a strict law on fashion, which the existing clothing regulations . These strict regulations for clothing have already led to nationwide protests and represent a serious challenge for the stability of the regime.

New law on “chastity and to hijab”

Two years after the protests against the strict clothing regulations in Iran, a new law on "chastity and hijab" was passed by the hardliner-dominated parliament on Sunday and approved by the guardian council, which checks the laws for their conformity with the constitution and Islamic law. The law must now be signed by the President to enter into force.

criticism of the law

President Masoud Pezeshkian, who had criticized the strict rules for clothing and was elected with a reformist agenda last year, commented against the law. Should he try to oppose the law, he threatens a power struggle with the mighty conservatives. However, his signing has largely ceremonial importance, which gives him little scope to block the law, for which he joined X on Monday.

strings for rule violations

The law provides for a three -year test period in which new, stricter punishments for violations of Hijab and inappropriate clothing of men and women are to be introduced. It defines inappropriate clothing in different categories, from nudity and inappropriate clothing to the wrong wearing of the hijab. For women, this comprises close clothing that exposes the body below the neck, over the ankles and over the forearms. Men are not allowed to show a body area below the chest and above the knees, as well as the shoulders.

public mood and regulation of the digital space

According to Sina Toossi, a senior fellow of the Center for International Policy in Washington, there is a risk that the law will repeat the mistakes of the previous Iranian government, which was confronted with months of protests in 2022. Toossi emphasizes that this decision reflects a misjudgment of the public mood and that the already fragile social structure could further destabilize.

sentence and surveillance

The law also introduces a system of fines and restrictions with financial consequences, even for initial violations. Multiple violations can lead to punishments such as prison terms, travel bans, and restrictions on obtaining license, travel passes and even internet access. Business owners who do not enforce the dress code with their customers must expect increased fines and possible prison terms.

reactions to the law

In late 2022, the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in the care of the Iranian moral police, led to some of the greatest protests that the country has experienced in decades. According to the United Nations, over 500 people were killed in the subsequent repression. Another controversial aspect of the law is monitoring in digital rooms. The fines and restrictions for internet activities are introduced in connection with the new regulations, and social media must monitor and remove content that the government considers, inappropriate.

recently approved laws and political mechanisms

The present law was brought in by former President Ebrahim Raisi in May 2023 after the deadly protests against the obligation to carry the hijab. In view of the secret procedure, through which the draft law was approved, and the lack of open debate in the meeting, the procedure reveals the imbalance within the political structure of Iran.

challenge for President Pezeshkian

The law is to be implemented almost two weeks after the approval by the guardian council on December 13th. President Pezeshkian faces a "difficult task", since the law creates the basis for a power struggle between the hardliner conservative forces in the non-elected committees and the parliament on the one hand and the government as well as the elected president on the other. Pezeshkian had spoken out against the mandatory hijab regulation and the strict laws of the Raisi era during his election campaign and promised the end of the moral police.