This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission.
An Iranian criminal court has ordered a woman to perform 270 hours of unpaid public service, specifically cleaning public spaces, for the “political sin” of failing to adhere to the country’s mandatory hijab law.
The sentence, which was shared on social media on June 19, initially included a two-month prison term. However, the court decided to substitute the jail time with community service, including the cleaning of the buildings of the Interior Ministry in Tehran.
The presiding judge, whose language in the verdict echoed the rhetoric of the Islamic republic’s hard-line faction, described the woman’s failure to observe the hijab as a “political sin.” The woman’s name was removed from the verdict before it was published.
He further characterized it as “aiding the enemy’s invasion of the Iranian nation,” “dragging society to the borders of sexual promiscuity,” and “contributing to the disintegration of the Iranian family.”
The verdict was reportedly based on “images from smart city cameras,” a reference to surveillance cameras that have been placed in public places around the country as part of authorities’ efforts to enforce the mandatory hijab law.
The judge called the woman’s defense unacceptable and objected to the “dress code and style of the accused” in the courtroom.
Protests against the mandatory hijab have become a significant challenge for the Islamic republic and its supervisory institutions, particularly in the wake of the death in September 2022 of Mahsa Amini while in police custody over a head-scarf violation.
The spokesperson for the Law Enforcement Force announced last week that, since March 16, when the force’s confrontations with people over the mandatory hijab began, more than 300 individuals have been arrested for not observing the mandatory hijab in public places and professions.
The hijab became compulsory for women and girls over the age of 9 in 1981, two years after the Islamic Revolution in Iran. The move triggered protests that were swiftly crushed by the new authorities. Many women have flouted the rule over the years and pushed the boundaries of what officials say is acceptable clothing.
Women have also launched campaigns against the law; many have been pressured by the state and forced to leave the country.
In the face of the unrest, some religious and government figures have repeatedly advocated for a tougher stance by the government against offenders, even going as far as encouraging a “fire-at-will” approach against noncompliant women.
While the protests appear to be waning, resistance to the hijab is likely to increase, analysts say, as it is seen now as a symbol of the state’s repression of women and the deadly crackdown on society.
In recent weeks, the authorities have also shut down businesses, restaurants, cafes, and in some cases pharmacies due to the failure of owners or managers to observe Islamic laws and hijab rules.
