UN experts have strongly criticized a new draft law in Iran that proposes severe punishments for women and girls who do not wear a hijab. They've likened this legislation to "gender apartheid," CNN reports.
The draft law, currently under review in the Iranian parliament, suggests imposing harsh penalties, including lengthy prison terms, on those who refuse to comply with the veil requirement. Additionally, it advocates for the use of artificial intelligence to identify individuals violating the dress code and introduces stricter penalties for celebrities and businesses not adhering to the rules.
The UN experts argue that both the new law and existing restrictions are fundamentally discriminatory and could amount to gender persecution. They emphasize that using "public morals" to curtail women and girls' freedom of expression is deeply disempowering and may exacerbate gender discrimination and marginalization, with broader negative consequences for society and children as a whole.
The draft law's introduction coincides with the approaching one-year anniversary of mass protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who died after an encounter with Iran's morality police in Tehran. The 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman was detained by the morality police and taken to a "re-education center" for allegedly not conforming to the country's conservative dress code.
The UN experts reveal that this legislation was submitted to the parliament by the government and the judiciary on May 21. After several amendments, which increased the severity of penalties, it was approved by parliament on August 13, allowing a parliamentary committee to review it without public debate.
The draft law proposes reclassifying the failure to wear a hijab as a more serious offense, with potential consequences including a five-to-ten-year prison sentence and a higher fine. Previously, dress code violators faced imprisonment for ten days to two months or a fine ranging from 50,000 to 500,000 Iranian rials (equivalent to $1.18 - $11.82 today).
Another provision requires Iranian police to develop and enhance AI systems for identifying individuals engaged in illegal behavior, using tools like fixed and mobile cameras. Business owners who do not enforce hijab requirements face more substantial fines, potentially amounting to three months' worth of their business profits. They may also face travel bans and restrictions on participating in public or online activities for up to two years.
Celebrities could be fined up to one-tenth of their wealth, barred from employment or professional activities for a specified period, and face travel bans and social media restrictions if they fail to comply with the hijab requirement.
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