Tehran Police Summoned a Significant Number of Citizens in One Day Over ‘Hijab Violations’
A significant number of social media users on Twitter and Instagram reported on Sunday, September 23rd, that they had been summoned to the ‘Moral Security Police’ via text messages related to ‘hijab violations in vehicles’.
Among the recipients of these text messages, which appear to have been sent randomly and in bulk, were users wearing traditional chadors, celebrities, and at least one clergyman, who expressed surprise at receiving such messages.
Meanwhile, some users characterized the sending of these messages as occurring just one day after the execution of Navid Afkari, which had impacted Iranian social media, as ‘the government’s attempt to divert attention from the execution issue’.
Among the recipients, an Instagram post from a singer and a tweet from a clergyman received significant reactions on these social networks and were also reflected in some news outlets.
Mortaza Rohani, editor and publisher of ‘Tarjoman’ magazine, close to the Supreme Leader’s office, sarcastically posted an image of his received message, suggesting that perhaps the reason was his removing his turban, while also noting that he was not at the location stated by police at the specified time.
Previously, in August of last year, the head of the Command Promotion of Virtue also reported receiving such a message, but added: ‘These mistakes do not cause the police’s work to stop’.
Omid Nemati, a singer who was among those summoned to the Moral Security Police, wrote on Instagram: ‘Even if someone is quarantined at home, there still has to be some story made up. Now they want to unnecessarily drag people to the police station during this coronavirus and the people’s situation?’
Law enforcement authorities have not yet reacted to these reports, and recipients of such messages are forced to visit the Moral Security Police station to ‘file a case and give a commitment’.
In early April 2019, hundreds of people in Tehran received such messages in one day, which after gathering in front of the ‘Moral Security Police’ on Vezara Street (Khaled Islambouli Street) and the issue becoming public, led to a reaction from Tehran’s Police Chief.
Hassan Rahimi, Tehran Police Chief, stated at that time that recipients of this message would be released from police after ‘written commitment’, but in case of ‘repetition’ of this action, they would be referred to court.
In recent years, law enforcement authorities have reported the seizure of tens of thousands of vehicles due to ‘hijab violations’ and their occupants.
Based on the ‘Law for the Protection of Those Promoting Virtue and Forbidding Vice’, which was announced in 2015, places that ‘are exposed to public view without surveillance, such as common areas of apartments, hotels, hospitals, and also means of transportation are not covered by the right to privacy’.
Source: Radio Farda
