Iran’s Regime Intensifies Women’s Suppression Amid Uprising Fears

Iran: Suppressing women brutally under the guise of combating improper veiling to forestall any potential uprising

The Women’s Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran strongly condemns the escalated suppression of women under the pretext of combating improper veiling as a desperate effort by the misogynistic regime of the mullahs to quell any potential uprising. It calls upon human rights defenders and women’s rights advocates to denounce the atrocities committed by this regime and to isolate it from the global community.

The regime’s oppressive measures against women, which have reached unprecedented levels of violence since Saturday, April 13, were spurred by Khamenei’s directives ten days prior. On April 3, he emphasized, “Everyone should abide by the matter of veiling,” and held “the government and the judiciary responsible for fulfilling their religious and legal obligations regarding the issue of veiling.”

On April 10, he went even further and deployed his unofficial mercenaries to suppress the people, asserting, “The Islamic Republic system also bears responsibility against religious deviations, and we must ensure that officials and citizens alike do not falter, and instead promote virtue and prevent vice.”

According to State-run media reports on April 10, 2024, Ahmadreza Radan, the commander of the State Security Force (SSF), announced that starting from Saturday, April 13, individuals failing to adhere to compulsory veiling would be detected using advanced surveillance equipment. Those who do not observe compulsory veiling in public places will receive a warning the first time and will be referred to court at the next stage. Vehicles in which compulsory veiling is not observed will receive a warning the first time and will be impounded the second time. All trades whose employees do not observe compulsory veiling will receive a warning once and then will be sealed off. At the same time, repressive SSF in various provinces turned to threatening women.

State-run Qom television reported on April 13 that Mohammad Saeedi, the Friday Prayer Leader of Qom, declared, “The enemy, aided by internal mercenaries, has initiated action on the matter of veiling,” adding, “If we respond passively, they are considering overthrowing the Islamic Republic system.”

The state-run Bahar News website reported on April 16 that Aga Tehrani, the head of the Cultural Commission of the regime’s parliament, underscored the necessity for 32 agencies to tackle the issue of veiling, referred to as the repressive bill of chastity and veiling. He stated, “All agencies should participate in this matter, as we all bear responsibility for it; it should not be solely the task of the police or the Ministry of Interior… the government should be actively engaged, and it is urged that all ministers take the initiative.”

The Women’s Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran urges both women and men in Iran to bravely oppose the latest surge in women’s oppression. Additionally, it implores the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women to denounce the mandatory hijab and other forms of oppression targeting women in Iran.

National Council of Resistance of Iran – Women’s Committee

17 April 2024

To read this statement on the NCRI Women’s Committee website, click here.