Iran has announced the reinstatement of street patrols by its Morality Police in an effort to crack down on women who violate the country's strict dress laws. The decision comes several months before the anniversary of the September protests that erupted following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died while in police custody. Amini had been arrested for allegedly wearing clothing that didn't adhere to the proper dress code.
Starting from Sunday, police squads will be patrolling the streets on foot and in cruiser vans throughout the country. Their mission is to take action against individuals who continue to defy the consequences of deviating from the accepted norms of dress, according to Saeed Montazerolmahdi, spokesman for Iran's Law Enforcement Forces. It is worth noting that the morality police vans had seemingly disappeared from the streets following the protests that occurred after Amini's death. However, authorities continued to employ various methods to crackdown on women who refused to wear the hijab.
In April, Iran's police chief announced that women found wearing their head coverings loosely inside their vehicles, as captured by surveillance cameras, would have their cars impounded and could face court trials. This recent move to restore street patrols by the Morality Police follows reports of numerous businesses and shopping centers being ordered to shut down due to their failure to comply with Islamic dress codes.
Human rights groups have been critical of Iran's enforcement of dress laws, pointing out the excessive force used during the protests. According to these groups, the protests resulted in the deaths of over 500 people, with thousands more arrested or severely injured. Shockingly, hundreds of individuals reportedly lost their eyes due to projectiles fired by security forces.
The reinstatement of the Morality Police street patrols signals a renewed effort by the Iranian government to enforce its strict dress code regulations. It remains to be seen how this will impact the lives of women in the country and the response it will elicit from activists and the international community.