source: The Guardian

published: 11 December 2024

Image Credit: Sura Nualpradid at www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Women in Iran could face the death sentence or up to 15 years in prison if they defy new compulsory morality laws due to come into effect this week.

New laws promoting the “culture of chastity and hijab” passed by the Iranian authorities earlier this month impose severe penalties for those caught “promoting nudity, indecency, unveiling or improper dressing”, including fines of up to £12,500, flogging and prison sentences ranging from five to 15 years for repeat offenders.

Article 37 of the new law also stipulates that those promoting or propagating indecency, unveiling or “bad dressing” to foreign entities, including international media and civil society organisations, could face a decade in prison and up to £12,500 in fines.

Those whose conduct is considered by the authorities to amount to “corruption on Earth” could be sentenced to death under article 286 of Iran’s Islamic penal code.

Amnesty International said this legal provision in effect meant that women and girls sending videos of themselves unveiled to media outside Iran or “otherwise engaging in peaceful activism” may be sentenced to death.

The human rights group said the law also appeared to provide immunity for anyone who wanted to carry out their “religious duty” and enforce compulsory veiling on women. Anyone intervening or attempting to stop the arrest or harassment of woman and girls defying compulsory veiling could themselves be imprisoned or fined under article 60 of the new law.

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