What's New
Iran has temporarily halted the enforcement of a new law that introduces harsher punishments for women who don't adhere to the country's headscarf regulations.
Why It Matters
The controversial bill, approved by Iran's parliament in September 2023, seeks to impose harsher penalties on women who refuse to wear headscarves, or hijabs, and on businesses that serve them.
However, the halt of the bill comes amidst concerns of reigniting protests similar to those following the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022. Amini, 22, was arrested for not wearing a hijab and later died under suspicious circumstances.
What To Know
According to Shahram Dabiri, Iran's vice president for parliamentary affairs, the law will not move forward to the government for implementation this week. The development effectively means that Iran has halted enacting the legislation.
The decision to halt the legislation—at least temporarily—was reached by top executive, legislative and judiciary bodies, Dabiri said.
What People Are Saying
"According to the discussions held, it was decided that this law will not be referred to the government by the parliament for now," Dabiri told the pro-reform Ham Mihan daily on Monday.
At the moment, it is "not feasible to implement this bill," Dabiri added, without elaborating.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, a reformist elected on promises of easing tensions with the West, had criticized the law, describing it as having "many questions and ambiguities."
Pezeshkian's opposition comes as he attempts to restart nuclear negotiations and address sanctions crippling Iran's economy.
Harsh Penalties and Surveillance Measures
The proposed legislation marked one of Iran's most drastic steps in enforcing hijab compliance. First-time offenders would face $800 fines, escalating to $1,500 for repeat offenses and potential 15-year prison sentences. Public figures and celebrities could have seen 8 percent of their assets confiscated, while businesses risked closures for serving women without headscarves.
The bill, which would be in place for three years, also included extraordinary measures such as leveraging surveillance footage—from security cameras, defense agencies and even Iran's nuclear authority—to identify offenders.
In a controversial addition, foreign nationals, including Afghan refugees, could act as informants, incentivizing businesses and taxi drivers to report uncovered women or be subjected to penalties.
The Death of Mahsa Amini
The pause comes amid lingering unrest over Amini's death on September 16, 2022, which occurred in police custody after her arrest for allegedly violating hijab laws.
While Iran has denied responsibility and disputes that she was beaten, United Nations investigators have concluded Amini "was subjected to physical violence that led to her death," which they blamed on the morality police.
The incident triggered months of mass protests, leading to over 500 deaths and the detention of more than 22,000 people.
In the years since Amini's death, Iranian women on the streets increasingly have ignored the existing hijab law, walking in public with their hair uncovered despite the threat of arrest or harassment.
The new legislation was widely seen as a response to this growing defiance.
What Happens Next
Under Iranian law, the president cannot veto legislation. Should the bill reach his desk, he must endorse it within five days, leaving him little room to maneuver.
However, Pezeshkian could try to convince 85-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say on all matters of state, to halt the bill.
Failure to act on the bill could trigger a constitutional crisis, particularly with hardliners eager to challenge Pezeshkian's leadership.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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