CLICK HERE ON HOW TO READ ALL ON THIS PAGE

When one hurts or kills a women
one hurts or kills hummanity and is an antrocitie.
Gino d'Artali
and: My mother (1931-1997) always said to me <Mi figlio, non esistono notizie <vecchie> perche puoi imparare qualcosa da qualsiasi notizia.> Translated: <My son, there is no such thing as so called 'old' news because you can learn something from any news.>
Gianna d'Artali.

JINA MAHSA AMINI
The face of Iran's protests. Her life, her dreams and her death.
In memory of Jina 'Mahsa' Amini, the cornerstone of the 'Zan. Zendagi. Azadi revolution.
16 February 2023 | By Gino d'Artali
And also
Read all about the assasination of the 22 year young Jhina Mahsa Amini or Zhina Mahsa Amini (Kurdistan-Iran) and the start of the Zan, Zendagi, Azadi (Women, life, freedom) revolution in Iran  2022
and the latest news about the 'Women Live Freedom' Revolution per month in 2023: July 31 - 16 --July 15 -1--June 30 - 15--June 15-1--May 31 -16-- May 15-1--April--March--Feb--Jan
So here is where the protests continue and I'll continue to inform you about it. That's my pledge.Gino d'Artali
Indept investigative journalist
CLICK HERE ON HOW TO READ ALL ON THIS PAGE
When one hurts or kills a women
one hurts or kills hummanity and is an antrocitie.
Gino d'Artali
and: My mother (1931-1997) always said to me <Mi figlio, non esistono notizie <vecchie> perche puoi imparare qualcosa da qualsiasi notizia.> Translated: <My son, there is no such thing as so called 'old' news because you can learn something from any news.>
Gianna d'Artali.
Note by Gino d'Artali: The Zan, zendagi, azadi!> (Women, life, freedom)  will only then end when khamenei and his puppets i.e. the morality police, the basijis and the irgc give way or go away!!
And
For all topics below that may hopefully interest you click on the image:

 
'TO WEAR OR NOT TO WEAR A HIJAB or TO BE OR NOT TO BE A FREE WOMAN'
Unveiled And Unbroken, Woman's Revolution In Iran

Defiance Against Mandatory Hijab Grows as Iranian Government Seeks Stricter Measures

July 19, 2023: Preface by Gino d'Artali - What you'll read is in total a very long story but... one should not forget that the strength of the not-accepting the mandatory hijab women is stronger than the patriarchal regime and its shia mullahs and judiciary. They'll keep up the fight against it!

Center for Human Rights in Iran - July 18, 2023
<<Iranian Women Face Increased Violence as State Resumes Forced-Veiling Patrols
UN Should Call on Islamic Republic to Repeal Compulsory Hijab Law
July 18, 2023 - Women and girls in Iran face increased violence, arbitrary arrests and heightened discrimination as the Islamic Republic re-activates its forced-veiling police patrols, said the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) in a statement today. The UN and broader international community should explicitly call for the repeal of this repressive, dangerous, and discriminatory law, CHRI stressed. <For the past nine months, the Iranian authorities have witnessed countless girls and women peacefully defying the Islamic Republic's forced-hijab law,> said Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI). <In response, they are resuming their failing strategy of enforcing repressive policies against Iranian women while trampling the right to freedom of expression.> <It is essential for the international community to stand with the women and girls of Iran and advocate strenuously for their safety, dignity, and fundamental human rights,> Ghaemi said.
....
CHRI stresses that the resumption of forced-veiling patrols significantly raises the potential for a surge in violence against women, not only by the police patrols, but also by vigilante violence. Rigorous and continuous vigilance and support from the international community are vital. <The hijab should be a choice, not a tool of state repression,> said Ghaemi. <Through coordinated actions, we can all play a pivotal role in pressuring the Iranian government to stop perpetuating violence against women.> >>
Read the full report of the CHRI here:
https://iranhumanrights.org/2023/07/iranian-women-face-increased-violence-as-state-resumes-forced-veiling-patrols/

 
Iranwire - July 28, 2023
<<Iranian Government Considers Harsh New Hijab Laws
Iranian news agencies reported details of the Hijab and Chastity Bill on Thursday amid an intensifying clampdown on violations of the Islamic Republic's strict dress code for women. The contentious legislation, consisting of 69 articles, imposes stringent penalties on women who refuse to adhere to the mandatory hijab. Under this bill, women found in violation of mandatory hijab face severe consequences, including imprisonment ranging from five to ten years or substantial fines of up to 36 million tomans ($750). The legislation also grants enforcement powers to three intelligence agencies - the Ministry of Intelligence, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp Intelligence Organization, and the Police Intelligence Organization. Additionally, the police command, Basij paramilitary force, and the Headquarters for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice have been tasked with overseeing the implementation of the new law. Article 49 of the bill outlines the criteria and examples of what constitutes <improper clothing> for men. <Improper clothing for men means wearing clothing that is against public modesty, such as clothing that does not cover a part of the body lower than the chest or higher than the ankle or shoulders of a person.> Article 50 of the bill stipulates that any individual found <naked or semi-naked in public or wearing clothing deemed improper will be promptly arrested and handed over to the judicial authority.>
Moreover, the Hijab and Chastity bill places significant emphasis on gender segregation in various settings, including universities, hospitals, educational and administrative centers, parks, and tourist spots. <Anyone who insults the principle of hijab in virtual [social media] or real spaces, promotes nudity, indecency, no hijab, or improper clothing, or engages in any behavior that is typically seen as promoting such acts, will be subject to a fourth-degree fine [up to $750] for the first time offense,> article 30 of the law reads. <At the discretion of the judicial authority, they may also face a ban on leaving the country and be prohibited from engaging in social media for a period of six months to two years.> Notably, Article 43 of the bill also targets celebrities who refuse to comply with the hijab requirement. In addition to the primary penalties for their actions, celebrities may face paying a tenth of their wealth as a fine, exclusion from employment or professional activities for a specific period, and bans on international travel and social media activities. The Hijab and Chastity bill was drafted by Iran's judiciary and submitted to President Ebrahim Raisi's government for consideration. Following review by the Raisi administration, it was forwarded to the parliament and subsequently referred to the Legal and Judicial Commission for further examination.>>
Read more here:
https://iranwire.com/en/women/118955-iranian-government-considers-harsh-new-hijab-laws/
Opinion by Gino d'Artali: Mark my words: the hezbolla? That means total war ahead against the 'Woman, Life, Freedom' Movement! And remember what Adolf Hitler said: <Wohlt Ihr den Totalen Krieg?> Translated: Do you want the total war? Well, that's exactly what the regime is declaring now: a total war against the No-hijabis and the men supporting them and/or wearing 'improper clothing' themselves.
And please go this page which is dedicated to the coming commeration of Jina Mahsa Amini, heinously murdered by a basij for apparently wearing her hijab wrongfully. Do partipate I almost beg you:
http://www.cryfreedom.net/2022-2023-commemoration-of-Jina-Amini.htm

NCRI - July 27, 2023 - in Articles, Women's News
<<Stand with Iranian women and girls, grant them refuge – Amnesty International
Amnesty International published a report yesterday, July 26, calling on the international community to stand with Iranian women and girls suffering intensifying repression.
Amnesty International's report focuses on the clerical regime’s stepped-up efforts since mid-April to double-down on <oppressive methods of policing and severely oppressing Iranian women and girls for defying degrading compulsory veiling laws.> The AI detailed report exposes the Iranian authorities’ <intensified nationwide crackdown on women and girls who choose not to wear headscarves in public.
....
Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International's Secretary General, said, <Morality policing in Iran is back. The authorities are not fooling anyone by removing the insignia of the 'morality' police from uniforms and patrol vans while emboldening the enforcers of the Islamic Republic's oppression and subjugation of women and girls to engage in the same violence that killed Mahsa Zhina Amini with impunity. Today's crackdown is intensified by mass surveillance technologies capable of identifying unveiled women in their cars and pedestrian spaces.>
....
<This assault on women's and girls’ rights is taking place amid a spate of hateful statements by officials and state media, referring to unveiling as a 'virus', 'social illness' or 'disorder' and equating the choice to appear without a headscarf to 'sexual depravity.'>
....
Amnesty International called on the Iranian authorities to <abolish compulsory veiling, quash all convictions and sentences for defying compulsory veiling, drop all charges against all those facing prosecution, and unconditionally release anyone in detention for defying compulsory veiling. The authorities must abandon plans to punish women and girls for exercising their rights to equality, privacy, and freedom of expression, religion, and belief.> AI Secretary General Agnes Callamard urged countries to facilitate granting refuge to Iranian women and girls, who escape gender-based persecution in Iran. <The international community must not stand idly by as the Iranian authorities intensify their oppression of women and girls. The response of states should not be limited to forceful public statements and diplomatic interventions, but also involve the pursuit of legal pathways to hold Iranian officials accountable for ordering, planning, and committing widespread and systematic human rights violations against women and girls through the implementation of compulsory veiling. All governments must do everything in their power to support women and girls fleeing gender-based persecution and serious human rights violations in Iran, ensure they can access swift and safe refugee procedures, and under no circumstances should they be forcibly returned to Iran.> >>
Read the full report here:
https://women.ncr-iran.org/2023/07/27/stand-with-iranian-women-and-girls/
Note/open invitation by Gino d'Artali: Please read also the following artistic invitation on how to commerate the killing of Jina Mahsa Amini for apparently wearing her hijab wrongfully:
http://www.cryfreedom.net/2022-2023-commemoration-of-Jina-Amini.htm

Iranwire - July 27, 2023
<<Iranian Women Defy Hijab Laws during Mourning Month of Muharram
Women and girls in Iran continue to defy mandatory headscarf laws during the traditional mourning month of Muharram, despite an intensifying clampdown on violations of the Islamic Republic's strict dress code for women. Muharram will culminate in Ashura on July 28, the holiest day on the Shia calendar, when worshipers traditionally gather for large demonstrations of high-scale mourning to mark the death of Hossein ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, during the seventh-century Battle of Karbala. This year, videos shared on social media ahead of the religious festival show that many women continue to appear in public without hijab, in an act of defiance against the ideology and laws of the Islamic Republic. A clip surfaced on July 27, the ninth day of Muharram, depicting women in a Tehran metro station without head coverings while a religious lamentation is being broadcast. Another clip emerged showcasing women without hijab sitting in a cafe in Tehran's Fareshteh Street despite the presence of mourners chanting nearby. Supporters of the Islamic Republic, Friday imams and radical clerics have urged security institutions to take aggressive measures against women flouting the compulsory hijab rules during Muharram. On July 26, Hamshahri Online quoted influential Iranian cleric Hossein Ansarian as saying: <The enemy aims to strip Muslim women and girls half-naked and throw them into banks, schools, parks, universities, and offices.> >>
Read more here:
https://iranwire.com/en/women/118922-iranian-women-defy-hijab-laws-during-mourning-month-of-muharram/

Iranwire - July 27, 2023
<<Woman Chess Player Who Defected Iran Gets Spanish Citizenship
An Iranian chess player who defected to Spain in January after competing without a hijab at an international tournament has been granted Spanish citizenship. Spain's official gazette announced on July 26 that the cabinet approved granting citizenship to Sarasadat Khademalsharieh, better known as Sara Khadem, at the proposal of the justice minister given <the special circumstances> of her case. The 26-year-old Khadem arrived in Spain in early January after taking part in the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in Kazakhstan without the mandatory headscarf. She received multiple threatening phone calls during the tournament, after which four bodyguards stationed outside her hotel room, a source close to the player has said. <To be honest, even before playing this tournament, I never wore a hijab. I mean, I only put it on for the cameras because I was representing Iran. Somehow, it didn't feel good to not be myself,> the chess player said in an interview with Spanish newspaper El País.
<So I just decided not to do that anymore,> she added.
In an act of defiance against the ideology and laws of the Islamic Republic, a growing number of women have appeared in public without the compulsory hijab, including sportswomen and celebrities, since nationwide protests erupted in September last year. Some defiant women have been arrested, summoned by the authorities and faced legal cases, while hundreds of small businesses and shopping malls were shut down for allegedly failing to enforce hijab rules on their customers. Khadem is not the first woman chess player to have fled Iran after participating in international tournaments without a head covering. Top chess referee Shohreh Bayat was granted asylum in the UK after being photographed without a headscarf while serving as the chief arbiter of the Women's World Chess Championship 2020 in Shanghai. She and her family came under immense pressure after the incident.>>
Read more here about 'No-hijabi' chessplayers who defected because they stayed firm:
https://iranwire.com/en/women/118901-woman-chess-player-who-defected-iran-gets-spanish-citizenship/

Iranwire - July 26, 2023 - by SAHAR REZAEI
<<Iranian Women Athletes Targeted for Expressing Dissent
Iranian women athletes who participated in last year's nationwide protests or took stands against the Islamic Republic's compulsory headscarf rules have been forced to back down from their beliefs under the pressure of the Ministry of Sports and Youth as well as the security and intelligence agencies, IranWire has learned. Through interviews with relatives of several athletes and information obtained from the Ministry of Sports, IranWire has uncovered a systematic pattern of pressure on prominent sportswomen, particularly in recent weeks. The tactics used against these defiant women include imposing travel bans, closing their bank accounts, prohibiting them from attending national training camps or from accessing sports venues, and threatening them with arrest.>>
Read more here and also about other athletes under threat:
<- Razieh Janbaz;
- Parmida Qasemi and
Niloofer Mardani
and What the Islamic Republic Seeks from the Athletes>...
https://iranwire.com/en/women/118883-iranian-women-athletes-targeted-for-expressing-dissent/ 

Iranwire - July 26, 2023
World Urged to Do More for Oppressed Iranian women
Amnesty International calls on the international community to intervene as the Iranian authorities are <doubling down> on their crackdown on Iranian women and girls who defy <degrading> compulsory headscarf laws. In an analysis published on July 26, the London-based human rights group says that since mid-April, more than a million women have received text messages warning that their vehicles could be confiscated after they were captured on camera without their headscarves. Meanwhile, scores of women have been suspended or expelled from universities, barred from sitting final exams and denied access to banking services and public transport, as hundreds of businesses have been forcibly closed for failing to enforce hijab rules on their customers. Earlier this month, <Morality Police> patrols returned to the streets to enforce compulsory veiling. Videos shared on social media show women being violently assaulted by officials in Tehran and other cities. In one incident, security forces fired teargas to disperse residents of the northern city of Rasht who protested an attempt to arrest women accused of violating the hijab requirement.
<Morality policing in Iran is back,> says Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International's Secretary General.
<The intensified crackdown on unveiling reflects the Iranian authorities' deplorable disregard for the human dignity and rights of women and girls to autonomy, privacy and freedom of expression, religion, and belief,> Callamard added. <It also underscores a desperate attempt by the authorities to reassert their dominance and power over those who dared to stand up against decades of oppression and inequality> during last year's nationwide protests. In an attempt to intensify this crackdown, Amnesty International says, the authorities presented the <Bill to Support the Culture of Chastity and Hijab> to parliament in May. Under the proposed legislation, women and girls who appear without headscarves in public spaces and on social media or who show <nakedness of a body part or wear thin or tight clothes> will face fines, confiscation of cars and communication devices, driving bans, deductions to salary and employment benefits, dismissal from work and prohibition on accessing banking services. The draft bill also includes proposals to sentence women found guilty of defying veiling laws <on a systemic basis or in collusion with foreign intelligence and security services> to up to five years' imprisonment as well as travel bans and forced residency in a specified location. Managers of public institutions and private businesses who allow unveiled employees and customers within their premises would face penalties ranging from closures to lengthy prison sentences and travel bans. The bill proposes a range of sanctions against athletes, artists and other public figures defying veiling laws, including bans on engagement in professional activities, imprisonment, flogging and fines. Simultaneously, the authorities have prosecuted and imposed <degrading> punishments on women who appear in public without head coverings, Amnesty International says. It cited the cases of women who were required to attend counseling sessions for <mental illness,> wash corpses in a morgue or clean government buildings. Amnesty International urges the authorities to abolish compulsory veiling, quash all sentences for defying compulsory veiling, drop all charges against all those facing prosecution and unconditionally release anyone in detention for defying compulsory veiling.The group also says that the international community <must not stand idly by as the Iranian authorities intensify their oppression of women and girls.> <The response of states should not be limited to forceful public statements and diplomatic interventions, but also involve the pursuit of legal pathways to hold Iranian officials accountable for ordering, planning, and committing widespread and systematic human rights violations against women and girls through the implementation of compulsory veiling,> says Callamard. Governments must ensure that Iranian women and girls fleeing <gender-based persecution> can access <swift and safe refugee procedures and under no circumstances should they be forcibly returned to Iran,> she adds.>>
Source:
https://iranwire.com/en/women/118880-world-urged-to-do-more-for-oppressed-iranian-women/

Iranwire - July 26, 2023 - by SAHAR REZAEI
<<Iranian Women Athletes Targeted for Expressing Dissent
Iranian women athletes who participated in last year's nationwide protests or took stands against the Islamic Republic's compulsory headscarf rules have been forced to back down from their beliefs under the pressure of the Ministry of Sports and Youth as well as the security and intelligence agencies, IranWire has learned. Through interviews with relatives of several athletes and information obtained from the Ministry of Sports, IranWire has uncovered a systematic pattern of pressure on prominent sportswomen, particularly in recent weeks. The tactics used against these defiant women include imposing travel bans, closing their bank accounts, prohibiting them from attending national training camps or from accessing sports venues, and threatening them with arrest.>>
Read more here and also about other athletes under threat:
<- Razieh Janbaz;
- Parmida Qasemi and
Niloofer Mardani
and What the Islamic Republic Seeks from the Athletes>...
https://iranwire.com/en/women/118883-iranian-women-athletes-targeted-for-expressing-dissent/ 

Iranwire - July 24, 2023 - by SHOHREH MEHRNAMI
<<Iranians' Angry Reactions to Muharram Ceremonies
Over the past 44 years, the religious and political missionaries of the Islamic Republic have relied on the deep belief of a significant portion of the Iranian people in the Third Shia Imam. Every year, millions of Iranians observe Ashura on the 10th day in the month of Muharram, the first month in the Islamic lunar calendar, as it marks the death of Hossein ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, during the Battle of Karbala in 680.
Large demonstrations of high-scale mourning are held throughout the country to remember and honor Hossein's sacrifice; preachers deliver sermons, narrating the life of the Third Shia Imam and recounting the history of the battle; poetry is recited to celebrate his virtues and legacy. The Islamic Republic's officials have used this fervor to justify the government's policies, label their opponents as enemies of religion and gather more supporters. But this year, Iranian social media users have shared messages urging people not to wear black clothes during Muharram. The families of those who lost their lives during last year's anti-government protests - some of whom hold strong religious beliefs - draw comparisons between their loved ones' suffering and the Battle of Karbala. Goldasteh Hosseini, the mother of Abulfazl Adinezadeh, one of the victims of the Islamic Republic bloody crackdown on the months-long unrest, expressed her grief on her Instagram account. <My son, Abulfazl, my Muharram is the day they took your dear life, my Karbala is your grave,> she lamented. The mother of Abulfazl Amirataei, another victim, shared a heart-wrenching video of her son's struggle to survive in hospital, expressing her anguish over the <senseless act that claimed> his life. <Don't lecture me about Muharram; I've experienced my own trials, like the time Abulfazl spent months in the hospital, and I still curse the person responsible for shooting you,> she said.
Many social media users evoke the events surrounding Karbala, drawing parallels between the battle and the violence inflicted to protesters. In response to the violent suppression of the protest movement, Iranians have published images depicting the harsh treatment endured by the demonstrators. Some of them compare the government's actions with the historical events of Muharram, highlighting the contradiction between the government's brutality and the mourning of Imam Hossein. <The government claims to mourn an imam who protested oppressive rulers, yet it suppresses its own people for opposing the regime; this exposes its hypocritical behavior,> religious scholar Mohammed Javad Akbarin tells IranWire.
However, Akbarin points out that the posts shared on social media reflect <the diverse sentiments within the society.> <Some individuals express their frustration and disdain toward the government's hypocritical actions, while others remain supportive, possibly due to personal interests or beliefs.> <These online expressions of grief, anger and resistance are indicative of the sentiments prevailing in the majority of society, as voiced through social networks. It is clear that a significant portion of the population does not align with the government's narrative and its handling of religious and historical events, Akbarin adds.
Opposition to Mandatory Hijab
A significant segment of society expresses opposition to the official Muharram ceremonies, primarily due to the ongoing crackdown on women flouting mandatory hijab rules. This stance has gained considerable traction and has resulted in detentions, imprisonments and forced confessions for those who stand against the compulsory headscarf during Muharram. In Karaj, a defiant woman walked past a religious procession without a hijab and told a man who had warned her while recording the scene: <I’m a woman, don't scare me; I will stand by my beliefs.> This woman was reportedly apprehended by security agencies, and the semi-official Fars news agency published her forced confession in which she was portrayed as being against religious norms. Boys and girls who have shown their opposition to the Islamic Republic and forced hijab during Muharram have ended up in jail. According to sociologist Mehrdad Darvishpour, these incidents show the secularization of society and the weakening of religious norms in Iran.
<While the Iranian government remains one of the most fervently religious in the region, secularism of society has reached unprecedented levels, with some individuals even adopting anti-religious stances,> he tells IranWire. Darvishpour notes that last year's protests, particularly the <Women, Life, Freedom> movement triggered by the September death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, <exacerbated the rift between the government and the people.> <Although street protests may have diminished, disregard for mandatory hijab among women and girls indicates that society remains assertively opposed to the government's religious norms,> he says. He predicts that this gap will continue to widen, making it increasingly challenging for the government to enforce religious practices on the populace.
Crimes by the Iranian Government
For social media users, gathering examples of the Iranian government's oppression of dissent is not a challenging task. One disturbing image shared on social media depicts a protester from Zahedan, Khodanoor Lejaei, with his hands and feet tied to a police station flagpole. A glass of water is placed in front of him, but he can't reach it. This cruel treatment was accompanied by the hashtag Final-Muharram. Another social media user shared the picture of Navid Afkari, a protester who was executed after enduring torture, with a question <Muharram???> Afkari's brothers, his sister and brother-in-law were imprisoned, while his parents endured harassment. This showcases the extent of suffering and injustice experienced by the victims of the Islamic Republic and their families. In response to the religiosity promoted by the government, these opponents often point out the Islamic Republic's hypocrisy and sometimes reject the religion altogether. This process, according to Akbarin, draws parallels to historical events in the West, where crimes committed by the church led to the Period of Renaissance. <Just as the society in the West grappled with the realization that it had to choose between humanity and religious dogma, freedom and religion, and honor and dignity and religion, a similar experience currently unfolds in Iran under the Islamic Republic," he said.>>
Source:
https://iranwire.com/en/features/118807-iranians-angry-reactions-to-muharram-ceremonies/ 

Iranwire - July 24, 2023
<< <Is it War?> Morality Police Are Out in Force in Tehran
IranWire has obtained images from Tehran's Shahrak Gharb neighborhood and Vanak Square showing a noticeable surge in the presence of Morality Police officers monitoring citizens' clothing. The deployment of police comes amid heightened tension between the government and the Iranian population over the mandatory hijab rules, as the first anniversary of the September 16 death of Mahsa Amini in police custody draws near. Amini had been detained by Morality Police for allegedly wearing her headcovering improperly. A citizen journalist shared with IranWire her observations on the situation in Shahrak Gharb and Vanak Square.
***
The city appears to be under quasi-military rule. Most of the drivers now wear civilian attire, with male officers occasionally accompanying their female counterparts. Yet, they strive to remain inconspicuous as they fear being captured on camera or film. Agents are widely deployed across Shahrak Gharb. After discreetly parking their vehicles, they closely monitor the area. On Vanak Square, women officers wearing black cloaks without police logos enforce women's compliance with the compulsory hijab law. The female agents uniformly wear masks and sunglasses to conceal their identities. Some male agents do not wear a mark but they remain cautious. I discreetly capture a photo of a woman officer in chador standing next to a male colleague in a police uniform. The man notices me and calls on his colleague to seize my phone and search in the photo gallery. I'm assertive of my rights and calmly say that I'm a lawyer at Ershad Court. I remind the officer that conducting a search without a warrant would have serious repercussions. I make it unequivocal that he has no authority to touch me or my phone. The agent is somewhat taken aback and asks, <Why were you taking pictures of us?> I retort, <Have you done something wrong that you fear being monitored?> No response. I turn away from the officers and continue on my way to buy bread. I know that many people, in a similar violent and terrifying situation, would have handed over their phones to the officer with a loud voice. According to reports by the Tasnim news agency, which is closely associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), some unmarked patrol vehicles have been carrying duty judges. The 2013 amendment of the Criminal Procedure Law authorizes such judges to act when regular cases cannot be handled promptly and <urgent> decisions are required. It appears that dealing with the opponents of mandatory hijab has been classified as an urgency by the judiciary and police. When I told the officer he had no warrant, I expected the duty judge to issue one. But that didn't happen. Countless white vans and police cars are stationed in front of Milad and Noor shopping malls, as well as other commercial centers in Shahrak Gharb neighbourhood. <Is it war?> I ask myself.>>
Source:
https://iranwire.com/en/features/118813-is-it-war-morality-police-are-out-in-force-in-tehran/

Iranwire - July 24, 2023 - by Jailed human rights activist Narges Mohammadi and her tweet on July 22, 2023
<<Mohammadi: <Tyrannical> Theocracy Uses Forced Hijab to Suppress Women
Jailed human rights activist Narges Mohammadi has responded to a new round of pressure by the government of the Islamic Republic to impose mandatory hijab on women, calling it a conspiracy by the country's theocracy to subjugate women. <Contrary to claims by the theocracy, covering women's hair was not meant to 'protect women's dignity' and 'control men's sexual urge'> Mohammadi said in an Instagram message on July 22. <In fact, covering our hair was to preserve tyranny and to satisfy men's dictatorial lust. Now the world is witnessing that women's 'power of refusal' has broken the 'tyrannical power' of theocracy.> <Forced hijab was a conspiracy by the tyrannical government to expand suppression, to institutionalize submission, to enforce (hidden) violence> in order to subjugate women, dominate them and remove them from the public sphere, she continued.
<The fact is that forced hijab is not only a 'women's problem;' it is the problem of the whole society; it is a problem for freedom, for deliverance from tyranny, for justice, for overthrowing injustice and oppression, for realizing peace, democracy and human rights and for getting rid of violence and discrimination. Therefore, nobody can ignore this issue, regardless of creed, ideology and beliefs. <We, the women, have achieved the historical power and position to bring about revolutionary changes...and we can have no doubt that our power to refuse and to disobey forced hijab would defeat the tyrannical power of theocracy.> Mohammadi is one of the best-known human rights activists in Iran. She has been harassed, arrested and imprisoned many times and is currently serving a 16-year prison sentence in Tehran's Evin Prison. The outspoken activist has received many awards and accolades, including the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize and the Andrei Sakharov Prize of the American Physical Society.>>
Source:
https://iranwire.com/en/women/118788-mohammadi-tyrannical-theocracy-uses-forced-hijab-to-suppress-women/
 


NCRI - Womens committee - in articles - Women's news July 23, 2023
<<30.000 victims we never forget nor forgive
The 1988 Massacre in Iran and the Urgent Need for Independent Inquiry
The 1988 massacre is a stark reminder of the Iranian regime’s complete disregard for the sanctity and dignity of human life. The 1988 Massacre in
Iran and the Urgent Need for Independent Inquiry. 35 years ago, in the final days of July, the Death Commissions in prisons all over Iran engaged in a quiet yet hurried massacre and genocide. Their goal was to eliminate those who 'stood their ground and continued to do so, as per Khomeini's order. During this time, the Evin and Gohardasht prisons witnessed the massacre of prisoners, leaving only a few Mojahed prisoners in other cities' facilities. In some prisons, not a single person survived. The 1988 massacre in Iran, deemed the most significant crime against humanity since the Second World War, stands as a stark reminder of the Iranian regime's complete disregard for the sanctity and dignity of human life. It serves as evidence of the corrupt and repressive regime's relentless pursuit of power, regardless of the cost. Remembering these dark days is an act of honoring the victims of this massacre and amplifying their voices in the quest for freedom and justice in Iran. We must never forget that their voices were brutally silenced by the mullahs' regime during those years, with extreme brutality. In his speech to the Free Iran World Summit 2023, on July 3, Mr. Stanislav Pavlovski said, <The massacre of 1988, which claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people, was a tragic event that deeply shocked not only Iranian society but the entire civilized world... It is known justice delayed is justice denied, and the time for justice has come. Such tragic events should have no place in the world based on the principles of humanity, where human life and dignity are absolute values protected by all jurisdictions, and the world should do everything to guarantee that they will never happen again.>
Reflecting on the massacre of 30,000 innocent souls
Reflecting on the massacre of 30,000 innocent souls sends a chill down one's spine. The manner in which the Iranian regime executed these
individuals is deeply unsettling. Take a moment to pause and consider: why did they all sacrifice their lives?>>
Please please do people, we may indeed <not> 'forget nor forgive':
https://women.ncr-iran.org/2023/07/23/1988-massacre-in-iran/

And read below about more facts:

Update about the arrest of Leila Ziafar (read also below):
Iranwire - July 20, 2023
<<Video Showing Arrest of Anti-Forced Hijab Activist Sparks Public Anger
A media outlet affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has published a video capturing the moment when a woman known for her opposition to mandatory headscarf rules was arrested. In the video published by Saberin News on July 19, several individuals in uniforms can be seen apprehending Leila Ziafar in her home in Tehran. The release of the footage sparked angry reactions and disgust among Iranians. Prior to the incident, Ziafar posted a tweet with a picture of herself without a hijab and the message: <It is impossible to turn back from the path we have taken. We sacrificed martyrs to remove this hijab and oppression. We will not allow the blood of our martyrs to be disregarded. There is no information about Ziafar's whereabouts or the specific agency responsible for her arrest.>>
Read more here:
https://iranwire.com/en/women/118682-video-showing-arrest-of-anti-forced-hijab-activist-sparks-public-anger/
and below:

NCRI - Womens committee - in Women's news - July 19, 2023
<<Leila Ziafar arrested for a post against the mandatory Hijab
Security forces arrested Leila Ziafar in Tehran on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, for posting a tweet about the mandatory Hijab. The family of Leila Ziafar does not even know which agency has arrested her. She was reportedly arrested after leaving her sister's residence at midnight. Security forces ambushed and arrested her. They later ransacked her residence and confiscated her electronic devices, including her cell phone. Leila Ziafar has a Ph.D. in the food industry. She was a presenter on the radio but left her job after the November 2019 nationwide protests in Iran. She posted, <It is impossible that we turn back from the path we paved. To remove the compulsory Hijab and its captivity, we will not let the blood of those slain be trampled.> The clerical regime has stepped up its suppression of women for defying the compulsory dress code imposed on them by brute force.>>
Source:
https://women.ncr-iran.org/2023/07/19/leila-ziafar-mandatory-hijab/

Iranwire - July 19, 2023 - By Sahar Bakhtiari, citizen journalist
<<Talking a Walk in Central Tehran without Hijab amid <Morality> Patrols
Tehran - As temperature rises, you feel a tug of apprehension before stepping out onto the street. You drape a scarf over your head, but as you catch a glimpse of your reflection in the mirror, self-disgust fills you. You summon the courage to toss the scarf around your neck and tell yourself, <Don't be afraid!> You tuck it into your bag instead, breaking free from the confines of your home and make your way to your usual meeting spot, Firdous Garden, near Tehran's Tajrish Square. As you observe the streets, you notice that little has changed. Girls still roam the streets, wearing colorful t-shirts, their tied summer colored hair tied or it cut short because of the heat. They raise their heads and make eye contact with other women, offering silent encouragement. However, something disrupts this equation: an unmistakable white van with green stripes. For many Iranian women, this vehicle represents the tragedy of Mahsa Amini's death. Three women clad in chadors stand in front of the van, with two male agents lingering behind them, probably to monitor and potentially assist them. Yet, they appear invisible, unnoticed by the passersby. If you happen to cross their path and deviate from the conformity they demand, you're bound to hear phrases like <Ma'am, respect your hijab,> <Take the scarf from around your neck and place it on your head,> or <Ma'am, come here...> However, no one bothers to acknowledge them; heads turn away. Girls with exposed hair and summer attire stroll past them, occasionally shouting, <It's none of your business!> Despite the chador-clad officers' attempts to project confidence and assert their authority, they are met with scornful gazes and derisive remarks that push them back. Like when Samira, holding a cup of coffee, responds to one of these agents, <How long will you keep debasing yourself?...don't let extra work hours diminish your worth!> The woman becomes angry and retorts, <Let me inspect you!> Samira stops, but the woman doesn't take a single step forward. She coldly demands, <Hurry up and cover your head!> Without waiting to see if Samira complies, the woman walks away, heading back to the van. As Samira continues walking with me, she expresses her pride in being a woman. She admires the courageous women who refuse to regress, and she herself refuses to be humiliated by donning the hijab. As you continue on foot and approach Vanak Square, the atmosphere undergoes a slight change. Another van is parked on the north-east side of the square. Two veiled women stand facing each other on the sidewalk, and it appears that people are being stopped at a checkpoint. Female officers stop some individuals while allowing others to pass. Two male police officers lean against a car, sipping juice and conversing about the scorching weather. With only 100 meters left until you reach the vans, girls approaching from that direction take notice of your appearance and warn, <The patrol car is stationed there, go around the other side!> If you're fortunate and you happen to encounter one of these passing girls, you can quickly bypass the Morality Police patrol, along with all its officers, in a matter of seconds. You ponder to yourself whether they are unaware that many of us will avoid passing by them, or if they simply underestimate our determination and willingness to face any consequences. In Vanak Square, female officers diligently wield digital cameras. Sometimes they forcefully stop individuals, snap a photo of their faces and meticulously write their personal information on forms. These forms include fields for the person's name, surname, father's name, national ID number, phone number, home address and workplace. Maryam happens to be one of those individuals stopped in Vanak Square. Her photo was taken and her personal information recorded. The young girl recounts with frustration, <They threatened me saying that if I made a scandal, they would put me in a van and take me away. They urged me not to make a fuss, provide my information and go away!> Maryam explains that they emphasized multiple times, <If you provide false information, we will verify it. If we discover you've lied, you will be forced into a van, and your family will have to take you from the authorities.> Ultimately, she shared her information. According to Maryam, one of the female agents instructed the other to inquire about her details. After enduring a 20-minute wait, she was eventually released. Maryam says that the names of at least 20 people, with their information, were recorded on the forms. In Vanak Square, one notable aspect is the occasional raising of voices by female officers to grab the attention of women who are not paying attention to them. The male officers then chime in assuming the role of school administrators, saying, <What's going on, ma'am? Come over here.> Taking on the role of defenders of the female agents, they sternly advance, determined to address the matter at hand. The female agents whisper among themselves that they are not alone in their mission. The city center exudes a distinct restlessness emanating from the traffic congestion, the presence of <morality> patrol vans and the multitude of officers. It feels as though people are awaiting a spark - a spark that sometimes ignites inside a BRT bus. The weather is sweltering, and people are crowded together. A girl wearing a shawl around her neck points to an inscription inside the bus reading, <One of the signs of human perfection is beautiful clothing.> Then she tells me, <We don't seek perfection, whom would we show it to? We are suffocating.> A woman tightly clutching her chador interjects, <You have it easy; why don't you remove this too?> A verbal conflict ensues inside the bus, prompting the driver to shout, <Ladies, have mercy on yourselves!> A woman remarks, <God forbid that someone records this. Last year, a poor girl got into a fight with the authorities and ended up in prison.> As you gaze out of the window, an unusual crowd becomes visible amidst the cars and people, contrasting with the previous days. Vali Asr Square appears to be the pulse of Tehran. After stepping out of the BRT bus and while observing the square, you feel as if you are standing on the heartbeat of Tehran - an accelerated pulse. Multiple events unfold simultaneously in the northern and southern sections of the square. To the south of Vali Asr Square, a large car stands with several motorcycles atop it. A girl standing beside it is engaged in a conversation. According to her account, she was running late for her language class and took a motorcycle. While traveling in the lane designated for buses and ambulances on the northern side of Vali Asr, the police stopped them, confiscated the motorcycle's documents and asked why the lady riding pillion was not wearing a hijab. They proceeded to seize the man's motorcycle as well.The girl pleads with the police, saying, <Sir, I'm wearing my hijab. Please return this poor man's motorcycle! What crime did he commit?> In response, the police impounded the motorcycle under the pretext that the man rode in the wrong lane.
Upon hearing the girl's story, I consider that perhaps the main reason for the move was a violation of traffic law. Yet, the heartfelt desperation of the girl dismisses that possibility. Sitting on the edge of a bench facing the square, the girl sheds tears. She says that the man struggled to purchase the motorcycle and is still paying the installments. He had a helmet, but because he lacked a license and was riding on the back of the motorcycle wearing a shirt and pants, his vehicle was confiscated. She asks with frustration, <What kind of country are we trapped in that won't grant us a license? Wearing a t-shirt is a crime! Not wearing a hijab is a crime! Riding a motorcycle is a crime! Even breathing here without permission is considered a crime!> The police officer says with a disdainful expression, <Go away, stay put! Aren't you ashamed to smoke in front of me? I can take you away and hand you over to the Morality Police.> She smiles at the police officer and retorts, <Well, you've got us surrounded. You must be feeling important!> A different kind of unrest is brewing in the north-western corner of the square, and yet, no one fears confrontation. Female officers issue warnings, while the girls stand their ground and respond. At times, the officers retreat. They hold lists in their hands, much like the ones carried by the agents in Vanak Square. They try to take a girl into the van, but a group of men and women encircle the officers to prevent them from doing so. The girl sits on the ground, and the officer grabs her collar, shouting, <Get into the van!> The few people surrounding the girl respond with boos, prompting the male police officers to intervene and attempt to resolve the situation. They disperse the crowd and yell at the girl to enter the van. One of the officers kicks the boys away while making sure that no one is recording the incident with a mobile phone. The girl reluctantly enters the van, pulls the curtain slightly aside and playfully misbehaves behind the glass. Then, one of the women enters the van, and the curtain is drawn.
I no longer see the girl.
For those who love the city center, its cafes, walking along Keshavarz Boulevard has an added benefit during the summer. Beneath the shade of the towering old trees, one should sit and gaze upon Tehran - a city that, as the girl on the motorcycle suggested, is under siege. It is peculiar to see the high number of motorcycles passing through the boulevard, carrying passengers with bent bags and emitting a distinct exhaust sound.
Occasionally, they cast curious glances at you, as if they are carefully assessing the situation. The bustling flow of people, encounters with patrol vans and the filming of some vans is abnormal for these wary motorcycle riders who observe everything, seemingly determined not to be caught off guard again. The tension is more palpable in the city center than anywhere else. <Morality> patrols traverse the streets in vans. Some of them no longer bear a green stripe and are plain white. There is a high presence of plainclothes officers, and vans are parked at almost all four intersections - Ferdowsi Square, Vali Asr Intersection, and Enqelab Square. A girl who goes around the patrol explains that she doesn't feel like engaging in a fight: <Yesterday, a van stopped in front of my friend on Iranshahr Street, and they forcibly took her into the van and brought her to the authorities for fingerprinting. This indicates that the patrols are not necessarily stationed in one place, and they can apprehend you while you're on the move.>
Nevertheless, the people remain resilient. Near the University of Tehran, around Enqelab Square, the girls exude an air of determination, as if something significant has transpired. Despite the mounting pressure created by the patrols, they bravely adorn their chosen attire and confidently visit cafes, purchase books and take leisurely strolls. They aim to send a resolute message: <We are not turning back.> >>
Source:
https://iranwire.com/en/special-features/118656-talking-a-walk-in-central-tehran-without-hijab-amid-morality-patrols/

Iranwire - July 19, 202
<<Iranian Actress Afsaneh Baygan Handed Suspended Prison Term
Iranian actress Afsaneh Baygan received a two-year suspended prison sentence and a two-year travel ban after she appeared in public without the compulsory headscarf. Mehdi Kohian, a member of the Committee to Follow up the Situation of Arrested Artists, said that Baygan is also required to attend weekly psychotherapy sessions. On July 12, Baygan announced her decision to withdraw from the <dishonorable field of acting> after she received a court notice on charges related to her appearance in public settings with a hat, instead of the mandatory hijab. Another actress, Hengameh Ghaziani, had previously retired from acting for the same reason. Baygan said she sought to distance herself from what she described as an <angry society,> and expressed hope to spend the remainder of her life in <peace.> >>
Read more here:
https://iranwire.com/en/women/118660-iranian-actress-afsaneh-baygan-handed-suspended-prison-term/
Opinion by Gino d'Artali: I kind of apologize for expressing my opinion about your 'anger at society'. In my opinion it is not 'the Iranian society' you should be angry about but about the blindness of the judiciary and the mullahs who refuse to accept that Iran is a free-spirited society where people in this case often choose to be what I call 'a no-hijabi'.

Iranwire - July 19, 2023
<<Jailed Iranian Activist Qoliyan Refuses to Wear Hijab in Court
The trial of Iranian civil rights activist Sepideh Qoliyan could not take place because she refused to wear the mandatory hijab during the hearing, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported on July 19. Government media said that the trial could be watched online. Qoliyan is serving a two-year prison sentence in Tehran's Evin prison for <insulting> the Islamic Republic's supreme leader. A new case was opened against the outspoken political prisoner following a complaint filed by state TV employee Ameneh Sadat Zabihpour. Ahead of her trial, Qoliyan announced that she would not appear before <the show court of the Islamic Republic.> But in a letter seen by IranWire on July 18, she said she had changed her mind after learning that the trial would be held in public. <Since I have no fear of telling the truth in public, I decided to participate in this trial and defend myself,> she wrote. Qoliyan was initially detained during a workers' strike in November 2018 and later sentenced to 19 years and six months in prison. The sentence was reduced to five years on appeal. The activist was released on March 15 this year after being granted <amnesty> but was soon re-arrested after shouting outside Tehran's Evin prison, <Khamenei the Zahhak! We'll take you down into the grave.> She referred to a mythical king said to have fed serpents growing out of his shoulders with young people's brains. In May, Qoliyan was sentenced to two years imprisonment for <insulting> Supreme Leader Ali Khameni. The activist was forced into confessing during her detention in 2018 and, following her release from prison, she described the role played by Zabihpour. <Ameneh Sadat Zabihpour was present in the interrogation room. After hours of physical and mental torture, she prepared a pre-written text for me to read in front of the camera,> Qoliyan said. She filed a complaint against Zabihpour, but the judicial system of the Islamic Republic swiftly closed the case.>>
Source:
https://iranwire.com/en/news/118662-jailed-iranian-activist-qoliyan-refuses-to-wear-hijab-in-court/
Opinion by Gino d'Artali: In the West there's a saying: 'Good ridance' and most likely the mullahs are thinking the same after Sepideh Gholian has been to appear before court again for not obeying the Hijab law but mark my words: we'll be hearing about her again and again 'till the mullahs are so tired of dragging her to court again and again they'll be oh so happy when they in the end will see themselves forced to say <Thank you for your services miss Sepideh Gholian, we'll not molest you ever again.>

Iranwire - July 18, 2023
<<Iranian Actress Bolukat Handed Prison Term, Banned from Acting
Celebrated Iranian actress Leila Bolukat has been sentenced to one year in prison and banned from acting for two-year for flouting the Islamic Republic's mandatory headscarf rules. Branch 1088 of Tehran's Second Criminal Court also slapped a two-year travel ban and a five-year ban from using social media on Bolukat. The actress is also required to read a book and provide a summary of it to the authorities within one month. In an act of defiance against the ideology and laws of the Islamic Republic, a growing number of women, including many actresses, have appeared in public without hijab since nationwide protests erupted in September last year. Many defiant women have been arrested, summoned by the authorities and prosecuted, with criminal courts issuing harsh sentences against the defendants. Hundreds of businesses have been shut down for allegedly failing to enforce the Islamic Republic's strict dress codes on their customers. Actresses including Taraneh Alidoosti, Katayoun Riahi, and Hengameh Ghaziani have been arrested for failing to cover their hair in public. Azadeh Samadi, an actress who appeared in public while wearing a hat, must attend bi-weekly psychotherapy sessions to treat her <antisocial personality disorder.> >>
Source:
https://iranwire.com/en/women/118627-iranian-actress-bolukat-handed-prison-term-banned-from-acting/
Opinion by Gino d'Artali: Banned from acting for two years?? Sounds like what the DDR East-Germany regime and its judges did after the fall of the Berlin wall imposing a so-called 'Berufsverbot' (translation: to do one's job) against playwrites and other writers who opposed the DDR regime and is excactly what happens more and more today in Iran.

Iranwire - July 18, 2023
<<Iran's Ex-President Khatami Condemns Hijab Patrols by Morality Police
Former reformist President Mohammad Khatami has warned that the resumption of Morality Police patrols in the streets of Iranian cities could pose a threat to the stability of the Islamic Republic. <It appears that the peril of self-subversion, a topic of recurring discussion, is increasingly manifesting itself with the resumption of Morality Police patrols, alongside controversial police behavior, security measures and unconventional judicial rulings regarding social matters, particularly pertaining to women,> Khatami said during a meeting with his advisors on July 17. Pointing out that Iranian society is already shaken by huge tensions, he warned that the leadership's continued inability to address social matters will cause further instability. On July 16, police spokesman Saeed Montazerolmahdi said that Morality Police are to resume street patrols to enforce the Islamic Republic's dress code requiring women to cover their hair in public. The announcement came 10 months after the death in custody of a 22-year-old woman who had been detained by Morality Police for allegedly wearing a headscarf improperly. Mahsa Amini's death in September 2022 sparked months of anti-establishment protests across the country. As authorities struggled to contain the women-led protest movement, the Morality Police largely pulled back from the streets while a growing number of women appeared in public without hijab in an act of defiance against the ideology and laws of the Islamic Republic. However, defiant women were arrested, summoned by the authorities and prosecuted, with criminal courts issuing harsh sentences against the defendants. Hundreds of businesses were shut down for allegedly failing to enforce the Islamic Republic's strict dress codes on their customers.>>
Source:
https://iranwire.com/en/politics/118617-irans-ex-president-khatami-condemns-hijab-patrols-by-morality-police/
Opinion by Gino d'Artali: Mr. Khatami may think he's playing politically clever by laying the hijab card on the table and in doing so be re-elected as president but... he must have heard of president-elect of the national council of resistence in Iran Maryam Rajavi. You loose mr. Khatami :-) Big time.

President-elect of the National council of Resistance in Iran Maryam Rajavi

NCRI - Womens committee - in Articles - July 17, 2023
<<Resilient Iranians Defy the Return of Guidance Patrols to the Streets
The reinstatement of Guidance Patrols in Iran faced resistance from resilient Iranians, particularly women, and sparked disagreement within the regime's internal circles. Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, commented on the return of Guidance Patrols and said, <Reinstating the guidance patrols to suppress, terrorize, and kill only reflect the regime’s profound fear of the outbreak of yet another uprising led by Iranian women. <The criminals ruling Iran must know that no patrol or repressive measure can extinguish the flames of the Iranian people's uprising and resistance. A nation that has been fighting the regime for 42 years, will soon overthrow its disgraceful rule of crimes and coercion. No one can send Iran’s brave women and girls back home, when thousands of them have laid down their lives for freedom over the past 40 years.”
Resilient Iranians Defy the Return of Guidance Patrols to the Streets
Ms. Sarvnaz Chitsaz, Chair of the NCRI Women's Committee, tweeted: <The resurgence of repressive guidance patrols on our streets reflects the regime’s fear of another uprising, particularly by the brave Iranian women. The ruling mullahs must realize that executions, repression, and the mandatory veil no longer hold power. No repressive or security measure can halt the regime's inevitable downfall.> >>
Read more here:
https://women.ncr-iran.org/2023/07/17/resilient-iranians-guidance-patrols/

DW |Deutsche Welle - translated: German Wave|- July 17, 2023 - by Monir Ghaedi
<<Why is Iran reintroducing its 'morality police'?
After nationwide protests last year and increasing numbers of women defying the headscarf law, the <morality police> had effectively disappeared from the streets of Iran. But the authorities have launched a new campaign to enforce the law. On Sunday, Saeid Montazeralmahdi, a spokesperson for the Iranian police, confirmed that both vehicular and foot patrols would be deployed. He was quoted by the country's official IRNA news agency as stating that the police would initially issue warnings to non-compliant women and refer those who <persist in breaking the law > to the judicial system. In September last year, the 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Jina Amini died in hospital three days after being arrested by the <morality police> for wearing her hijab incorrectly. Her death, allegedly caused by maltreatment, sparked nationwide protests that shook the country for months. The authorities' violent response resulted in the deaths of hundreds. Many women refused to give in and increasing numbers dared to appear in public without covering their heads. In December, officials claimed that the <morality police> had been disbanded. But recently there have been reports of its return by several journalists and social media users in the Iranian capital Tehran, and also other cities. On Sunday, a video began circulating on social media that captures the moment when dozens of passers-by intervened to prevent<morality police> officers from arresting three women in the northern city of Rasht.
'A failed project'
The Islamic republic has remained steadfast in enforcing its compulsory hijab policy, according to Azadeh Kian-Thiebaut, a sociologist at Paris Cite Universite, the Iranian regime has generally been resolute about enforcing the Islamic republic's hijab policy, which is seen to be a key pillar of the revolution that brought it to power. When it has faced public discontent, it has tried to rebrand and reinvent its methods of enforcement, she told DW. In recent months, the governemnt had started implementing facial recognition technology on public transport and had also shut down shopping malls, cafes and restaurants that admitted women without hijab. The authorities have also put pressure on taxi drivers to not accept women who are not covered. But Kian-Thiebaut said that these measures had not deterred women from refusing to comply with the law. <Compulsory hijab is a failed project," she said. "The Iranian women have defeated it and men have supported them.> Kian-Thiebaut said that if the <morality police> returned to the streets and the regime insisted on women wearing headscarves, there would a backlash and more tensions. She said that the current fundamentalist government could not impose its rule on <Iran's modern, diverse, and complex society> even if for Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, and his hardline supporters, more casual clothing was a sign of <cultural invasion> from the West. This is particularly true amid the younger generation. DW reached out to a 25-year-old student in the city of Shiraz who goes by the pseudonym Mandana and started going out without a hijab in <safe areas> without a police presence about two years ago. In November, she stopped wearing a scarf altogether and did not even carry one in her bag just in case. <I did not want to go out at all today, but I changed my mind when I heard that the <morality police> was back,> she told DW. In defiance, she said, she passed by a patrol without wearing a headscarf. <The officers just stood by and verbally warned me to cover my hair. They don't seem to dare to do more, knowing that we will fight them.> The law has also been criticized by some lawmakers, politicians, and even clerics who believe that whether to wear a hijab or not should be a matter of personal choice.
'Perpetual state of unrest and rebellion'
Kian-Thiebaut said that it was evident that there was a lack of general support for the current regime and Iran was in <a perpetual state of unrest and rebellion.> She said that public resentment toward the governmenthad been fueled by rising prices, high rates of unemployment, rampant corruption, and limited social liberties. Therefore, she suggested, the regime had no other option but to cater to the demands of the ultra-conservative minority that still supports it and this includes enforcing compulsory hijab. Kian-Thiebaut's view resonates with what many have been saying on social media. <The country has been under severe sanctions for two decades. The price of food is not stable even in the short term... The country has been involved in protests with hundreds of fatalities,> wrote Mostafa Arani, a Tehran-based journalist, on Twitter. <Then, the police are tasked to force half of the citizens to wear a scarf on their head on a 40 degrees Celsius summer day, all because apparently this country's laws are based on a minority's interpretation of religion.>
Distraction from corruption scandals?
The return of the <morality police> comes shortly after two investigations conducted by Iranian journalists revealed the involvement of top clerics in large-scale financial corruption and land grabbing and made headlines in Iranian print and online media. Among the clerics cited in the investigation is President Ebrahim Raisi's father-in-law, Ayatollah Ahmad Alam al-Hoda, who is widely known for his fundamentalist views. <It is not unlikely that the return of the 'morality police' is related to efforts to cover up various other corruptions,> wrote Homayoun Kheyri, a London-based journalist, on his Twitter account.<The supporters of this incapable government are financially and organizationally backed by the religious establishment, which has a history of destabilizing the country. The law enforcement forces are also financially constrained, and injecting money enables them to organize such maneuvers.>
Edited by Anne Thomas>>
Source:
https://www.dw.com/en/why-is-iran-reintroducing-its-morality-police/a-66257847

NCRI - Women committee - in Women's news - July 16, 2023
<<Iran: Guidance Patrols (Moral Police) Make a Comeback
Guidance patrols are back on the beat in Iran to crack down on women who defy the mandatory Hijab or veil.
The State Security Force (SSF) spokesperson announced that foot and mobile patrols would be stationed all across Iran to carry out missions and deal with individuals who insist on breaking social norms, the state-run Mehr News Agency reported on Sunday, July 16, 2023. Saeed Montazerol-Mahdi, the SSF spokesman, said: Mobile and foot patrols will be stationed across the country to deal with those groups of people who insist on breaking the norms, unfortunately, without paying attention to the consequences of wearing dresses outside the norm. They will be dealt with legally and reported to the Judiciary starting today if they do not conform to the orders of the police. Montazerol-Mahdi said the measure, aimed at expanding <public security> and reinforcing the <foundations of the family,> will be accompanied by prior warnings and threats.
Regime's Clampdown Intensifies as Iranian Women Reject the Compulsory Veil
The recent measure by the State Security Force, reinstating the guidance patrols, aims to reign in the women who dare to defy the regime's strict rules on Hijab and <Chastity> and their harsh and degrading punishments. Forty-four years after the clerical regime took power in Iran and imposed the mandatory veil on women, the regime has lost control of the populace that rose up last year to topple the regime after the death of an innocent young woman at the hands of the guidance patrols, or what is better known in the West as the Moral Security Police. More and more women defy the regime's only remaining <Islamic> symbol, i.e., the women's veil (chador). If they lose this, too, nothing will remain of the regime's claims to Islam and its raison d'etre for holding on to power under the absolute rule of a supreme clergy. With the approaching anniversary of Mahsa Amini's murder, the regime feels the urgency of taking everything under control. Its clampdown on protesters and executions of innocent victims have only fueled the public's anger, especially since the staggering inflation and bankrupt economy have made the populace poorer. The people of Iran have nothing to lose, and they are united more than ever to overthrow the regime and establish freedom, gender equality, and justice for all.>>
Source:
https://women.ncr-iran.org/2023/07/16/guidance-patrols-moral-police/
Opinion by Gino d'Artali: basijis, bring it on! We'll defend our rights especially in remembrance of Jina Mahsa Amini who you, cowards, killed.

NCRI - Women committee - in Women's news - July 15, 2023
<<Women Confronting Harsh Penalties for Defying the Compulsory Veil
Iranian women face harsh penalties, including termination from their jobs, being assigned to wash corpses in the morgue, and being forced to carry out janitorial tasks simply for failing to adhere to the compulsory dress code. The clerical regime in Iran imposes degrading punishments and harsh penalties on women who refuse to wear the compulsory veil. The authorities themselves admit that the mandatory Hijab is vital for maintaining their grip on power. Any concession on this issue weakens the authority of the religious leaders and puts pressure on them to compromise in other areas as well. In a recent case, the 104th Branch of Criminal Court 2 in Varamin sentenced a woman to wash the corpses of the deceased in Tehran's Morgue for a month as an additional punishment for driving without observing the mandatory Hijab. In addition to this, she was ordered to pay a fine of 31 million rials instead of serving a two-month prison sentence. This information was reported in the state-run Hammihan Daily on July 13, 2023.
On July 10, a woman was sentenced to two months in jail by Branch 1088 of Tehran's Criminal Court for not wearing the compulsory veil in public. Additionally, she received a two-year travel ban. She was required to attend weekly sessions with a psychologist for six months to address her labeled <anti-social personality> until she obtained a certificate verifying her mental health. In another incident, a female intern who failed to cover her hair while driving was relieved of her duties and forced to perform janitorial work instead of serving jail time, as reported on July 12. There have been reports of a woman being sentenced by one of the criminal court branches to complete 270 hours of cleaning services for the Interior Ministry due to non-compliance with the compulsory veil requirement. According to the official IRNA news agency on July 15, the Revolutionary and Public Prosecutor of Qazvin has initiated legal proceedings against 173 women since the enactment of the Hijab and Chastity Law. The identities of 50 individuals have been identified thus far, with efforts underway to identify the remaining individuals. The clerical regime uses facial recognition technology to identify women who do not observe the veiling requirement for women. Furthermore, on July 15, the Reuters news agency released footage showing a woman in Tehran's Gisha district crying out for help after allegedly being confronted by the state morality police.>>
Source:
https://women.ncr-iran.org/2023/07/15/harsh-penalties-defying-veil/

NCRI - Women committee - in Women's news - July 13, 2023
<<Ongoing Crackdown on Women as Asal Mohammadi Begins Prison Term
Labor activist Asal Mohammadi has become the latest victim of a persistent crackdown on dissent in Iran. Labor activist Asal Mohammadi was called to Evin Prison on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, to serve her time. The 26th Branch of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Asal Mohammadi to one year, eight months in prison, and a two-year ban on membership in political and social groups. She is convicted of <propaganda against the state> and <assembly and collusion against national security.> Asal Mohammadi did not have access to a lawyer during her legal procedure and was interrogated without the presence of her lawyer, which is against the letter of the law.
The Case of Mahtab Yar-Ahmadi's Arrest and Detention
Agents of the Department of Intelligence in Doroud, Lorestan, arrested Mahtab Yar-Ahmadi at her residence in Doroud on July 3, 2023. Ms. Yar-Ahmadi, 43, has one child. Since being arrested, she has not had any contact or visits with her family. She is presently detained in the detention center of the Intelligence Department of Khorramabad, the capital of Lorestan Province.
Educator's Retirement Amidst Accusations of Civil Disobedience
One of the teachers in Bandar Anzali, northern Iran, has been forcibly retired by the Ministry of Education.
Zahra Sayyad Delshadpour taught in high schools of Bandar Anzali. The Bureau of Investigation for administrative violations forced her to retire. She is accused of participating in illegal gatherings and sit-ins at the Department of Education in Bandar Anzali, filming and taking photos of the demonstrators, and inciting the students to go on strike and not attend school. Intern Punished with Janitorial Work for Defying Dress Code
Also, an intern was relieved of her duty and forced to do janitorial work for removing her Hijab while behind the wheel.>>
Source:
https://women.ncr-iran.org/2023/07/13/asal-mohammadi-prison-time/
 
 
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