Hijab in Iran is mandatory, even on Instagram

The Cyber Police deputy has announced that from now on, those who post unveiled photos in cyberspace will be treated like criminals. However, a lawyer does not consider going without a hijab in cyberspace to be legally justifiable as a crime.

The social deputy of the Cyber Police announced that removing the hijab in cyberspace is also considered a crime, and anyone who does not comply with the hijab law in cyberspace will be recognized as a criminal.

Colonel Pashaei clarified: “There is no difference between crimes in cyberspace and reality, and anything that causes public unrest will certainly be dealt with, and the police are acting seriously in this regard.”

This law enforcement official then, while emphasizing that “in cyberspace there is no difference between popular individuals and those with fewer followers,” prevented the speculation that perhaps this law only applies to celebrities and those with many followers in cyberspace, and stated: “Anyone who commits a violation in cyberspace and does not comply with the above matters will be recognized as a criminal.”

The Cyber Police deputy referred to the law determining the definitions of criminal use of cyberspace, which was passed in 2009, according to which disseminating content that is contrary to public morality and chastity in cyberspace is considered a crime.

He then concluded: “Regarding the removal of the hijab in cyberspace, it should also be said that because it falls under the category of abnormalities, it is also considered a violation.”

These statements come two days after a speech by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, before students and academics. In this virtual meeting held on Sunday, May 18, he considered the hijab a “concern” of his and said: “I have concerns in this regard and I request that officials, university presidents, relevant ministries, and especially the students and ladies themselves pay attention to the issue of the hijab and the separation between men and women, which is emphasized by Islam, and observe Islamic standards in universities.”

In early May, an Instagram influencer named Picas Moein wrote that he and his wife, who are currently living outside Iran, have been sentenced to a combined 16 years in prison. One of his wife’s charges was posting photos without a hijab on Instagram.

Moein explained in a video released about this matter that when they were first summoned, they were made to promise not to post his wife’s unveiled photos on Instagram.

This couple were medal-winning martial artists in Iran.

The reality of the situation of Iranian women even on Instagram

The statements of the Cyber Police deputy have received various responses on social media.

Mahdiyeh Golrou, a former student activist and women’s rights activist, emphasized in two tweets that this is the reality of living in the Islamic Republic. She wrote: “Do not create a false picture of women’s situation with colorful and mandatory unveiled photos away from the eyes of officials. The reality of our situation is this mandatory hijab even on Instagram.”

Ali Mojtahedzadeh, who is himself a lawyer, considered the Cyber Police deputy’s statements contrary to the law on his Twitter, because in his opinion, based on the principle of “tadeq,” no one has the right to broadly expand criminal titles, and the mandatory hijab law is only for public spaces.

Another user whose Twitter photo is with a hijab considers the result of such treatment as “making people hate the hijab.”

Source: DW