Blood is again spilling in Iran over the much-hated women’s dress code of the country’s conservative leaders. After the death of a young woman who was arrested because her clothing did not meet the regulations, the last few days broke protests in many places in the countrywho were hit hard as usual.
The cause of the unrest was the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was arrested on Tuesday during a family visit to Tehran. arrested by the vice squad. According to some witnesses this was because her headscarf would not have covered her hair sufficiently, according to others because she would have worn too tight pants. After her arrest, she is said to have been beaten, including on the head, which caused her to suffer a brain haemorrhage. Only after some delay did she end up in a hospital. She would have been dead on arrival.
Police later dismissed the matter as “an unfortunate incident” and stated that Amini had suffered a heart attack. That statement was astonishing. Her father infuriated in response that his daughter had been in excellent health and that there was no sign of heart problems.
headscarf off
It has been restless for days, especially in some places in the Kurdish northwest, where the victim lived. Also on Monday there were again fierce clashes between protesters and the police, in which the police fired live ammunition. At least five people were killed, according to Iranian media. At the funeral in the city of Saqez, some women took off their headscarves demonstratively.
The incident also led to unrest elsewhere, including in the capital Tehran and in Mashad, the country’s second city. Hundreds of protesters were arrested. Some of them demanded the dissolution of the vice squad, which is a permanent source of annoyance to many Iranians. Others shouted “death to the dictator,” a reference to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In solidarity, some women showed videos on social media where they demonstratively cut their hair.
Religious litmus test
For decades, many Iranian women abhor the strict dress code. In particular, the religious leaders regard the hijab, the headscarf, as a kind of litmus test for the religious content of their regime. However, over time, enforcement of the rules is becoming increasingly weaker and girls and women are taking advantage of this by exposing more and more of their hair. In recent months, the surveillance has been tightened again.
Occasionally clashes arise as the values of the elderly religious leaders become less and less in line with those of broad sections of the more secularly oriented population, especially in the big cities. The most recent major clash occurred in 2018, when groups of women took to the streets without a headscarf demonstratively. Many of them disappeared in prison for shorter or longer periods and so did their best-known lawyer, Nasrin Sotoudeh.
The authorities realize that after Amini’s death and the protests it provoked, they must operate with caution. President Ebrahim Raisi, himself a man of very conservative views, telephoned Amini’s family a few days later to express his condolences. He even said she was like “my own daughter.” Despite the police’s allegations that they had kept their hands to themselves and it was just an unfortunate incident, Raisi also announced an investigation into the matter.
The poor economic conditions, exacerbated by US sanctions, are causing widespread discontent among the Iranian population. Many have trouble making ends meet. This regularly manifests itself in demonstrations and strikes.
Also read: A little history of the headscarf