Iran has intensified its crackdown on women’s rights with the introduction of a new hijab law mandating the compulsory wearing of the hijab. The “Law on Protecting the Family through the Promotion of the Culture of Chastity and Hijab” is set to come into force on 13 December 2024. The law represents a severe escalation of control over women’s autonomy, with punishments that include the death penalty, flogging, exorbitant fines, and lengthy prison terms.
The law, which was drafted by the judiciary in May 2023 and approved by the Guardian Council, introduces a range of new offences targeting women and girls who challenge the compulsory hijab mandate. It also places obligations on businesses and private entities to enforce the rules, while offering legal protection to vigilantes who carry out attacks on those who refuse to comply.
Article 50 of the law defines “unveiling” as the act of not covering the head with a hijab, chador, or headscarf. Meanwhile, “bad dressing” is defined as exposing any part of the body below the neck other than hands and feet, or wearing clothing deemed to “incite the commission of sin by others.” Punishments for violations of these rules escalate with repeated infractions. Women caught “bad dressing” face fines starting at approximately $160 for the first offence, escalating to around $8,000 for repeated infractions. They may also be subjected to a two-year travel ban, a ban on using social media platforms, and imprisonment of up to five years.
Under Article 37, women who share images or videos of themselves without a hijab to foreign media outlets or organisations risk being charged with “corruption on earth” under Article 286 of the Islamic Penal Code. This charge, which can carry the death penalty, has been used in the past to justify the most extreme punishments for dissent.
The law’s reach extends to educational, employment, and social restrictions. Women who fail to pay fines may face further punitive measures, such as seizure of assets, bans on renewing driving licenses, and restrictions on obtaining passports or vehicle registration. The financial burden is seen as a deliberate effort to control economically disadvantaged women, leaving them vulnerable to deeper cycles of poverty and repression.
Another deeply troubling aspect of the law is the impunity it grants to vigilantes who harass or assault women and girls for non-compliance. Article 59 legitimises “religious obligation” as a justification for violence, and those who attempt to intervene to protect women from such attacks could themselves be fined or imprisoned. This provision risks emboldening violent attacks against women and girls in public spaces.
International human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have condemned the law as a codification of gender-based persecution. Diana Eltahawy, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International, described it as an attempt to “entrench the already suffocating system of repression” against women and girls in Iran. She has called on the international community to take action, urging states to press Iran to repeal the law and hold its officials accountable for systematic human rights violations.
The origins of the legislation can be traced back to the “Woman Life Freedom” uprising, which began after the death of Jina Mahsa Amini in police custody in September 2022. Her death sparked mass protests across Iran, with women and girls openly defying compulsory hijab laws. The Iranian government’s response has been marked by escalating violence, detentions, and crackdowns on dissent. The new law appears to be a direct response to this defiance, aiming to solidify state control and curtail any resurgence of resistance.
The implications of the law are profound. By broadening the power of intelligence and security forces, such as the Basij militia and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran is embedding mechanisms of surveillance and violence into daily life. Schools, workplaces, and public spaces are likely to become sites of heightened policing, with women’s rights groups warning of the devastating mental health impact on women and girls forced to live under constant threat.
As 13 December 2024 approaches, global attention is turning toward Iran’s leadership. Calls for international intervention are growing, with campaigners urging the use of diplomatic and legal pressure to compel Iran’s authorities to repeal the law and end the persecution of women and girls. Without such action, women’s daily lives in Iran risk being subjected to an even more oppressive system of control.
