The Iranian regime has ratified an amendment to the misogynic bill dubbed “Protecting sanctity of hijab and morality” thereby adding to the scale of oppression and pressure against Iranian women. According to this amendment, all women employees have to wear a uniform dress determined by the Iranian regime (IRNA state news agency – November 2).
This amendment is far more misogynic and repressive than the directive of Rouhani’s interior ministry in mid-June to all provincial governorates and governmental agencies.
As acknowledged by Laleh Eftekhari, speaker of women’s faction of the parliament, “Country’s ministries, Guidance, Intelligence and security agencies have been involved in drafting this bill and the government has also fully participated in it”.
According to Iranian regime officials, this bill will not only cover governmental agencies but will include private companies and institutions, kindergartens, parks and recreational sites, and businesses.
The bill also specifies fines, detention and slashing wages of women employees on the pretext of “mal-veiling”.
According to this bill, “women’s occupation in businesses… should observe segregation from men and working hours of 7 am to 10 pm. Failing to observe this article will be considered a violation and the business that has violated the law will be closed down for one week by the security forces and if repeated will be closed for a month.”
According to another article of this oppressive bill that was adopted in mid August by regime’s parliament, women drivers who fail to observe the medieval laws of hijab imposed by the regime will face heavy fines and their driver’s licenses will be revoked. Moreover, “the driver is responsible for whatever goes on in the car and thus drivers are accountable for the way their passengers are dressed”. As such, even the driver of the vehicle should pay a fine for the “mal-veiling” of the passengers.
Ms. Sarvnaz Chitsaz, chairwoman of Women’s Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran ( NCRI), expressed her deep abhorrence for the intensification of repression of women under the mullahs fabricated charge of “mal-veiling” and the implementation of gender apartheid and stated: Expansion of the dimension of oppression of women and the youth that are the force of change in the society and the active role of Rouhani in the adoption and implementation of this repressive bill demonstrate that the “moderation” of this deceptive mullah is nothing but a sham and as far as the fed up population under suppression are concerned, various factions of this regime are no different.
Ms. Chitsaz called on freedom-loving women and youth of Iran who have fought off various oppressive schemes and pressures imposed by this regime during its rule to expand their protests against these oppressive policies. She said: Surely this misogynic and medieval regime that the Iranian people call the Godfather of ISIS will be overthrown by these valiant women and youth.
The chairwoman of NCRI Women’s Committee also called on all women’s right agencies to condemn these oppressive measures and not tolerate such a suppressive regime that every day adds to its dimension of violence and suppression against women at the UN Women agency and to demand its eviction from this institution.
Women’s Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
November 7, 2015