3 weeks ago
The aforesaid time Iran launched its first ever nonstop onslaught connected Israel, it embarked connected a less-noticed confrontation astatine home, ordering constabulary successful respective cities to return to nan streets to apprehension women accused of flouting its strict Islamic dress code.
Iranian authorities insist that their alleged Nour (Light) run targets businesses and individuals who defy nan hijab law, aiming to respond to demands from devout citizens who are angry astir nan increasing number of unveiled women successful public.
But activists and immoderate politicians opportunity nan run appears aimed not only astatine enforcing mandatory hijab-wearing, but besides astatine discouraging immoderate wider dissent astatine a susceptible infinitesimal for nan clerical rulers.
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Under Iran's sharia, aliases Islamic law, women are obliged to screen their hairsbreadth and deterioration long, loose-fitting clothes. Offenders look nationalist rebuke, fines aliases arrest.
The laws person go a governmental flashpoint since protests complete nan decease of a young female successful nan custody of nan country's "morality police" successful 2022 spiraled into nan worst governmental turmoil since nan 1979 Islamic Revolution.
In a show of civilian disobedience, unveiled women person often appeared successful nationalist since nan decease of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. Security forces violently put down nan consequent revolt, which called for nan government's downfall.
Iran's constabulary forces locomotion connected a thoroughfare amid nan implementation of nan caller hijab surveillance successful Tehran, Iran, connected April 15, 2023. (Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency via Reuters/File Photo)
As Iran's drone and rocket battle unfolded connected April 13, Tehran Police main Abbasali Mohammadian went connected authorities TV to denote nan caller campaign.
ARRESTS
"Starting today, Police successful Tehran and different cities will transportation retired measures against those who break nan hijab law," he said, while hundreds of constabulary swept onto nan streets of nan superior and different cities.
Social media users posted pictures of a dense morality police beingness successful Tehran and videos of constabulary violently arresting women they alleged were improperly dressed, including plainclothes information forces dragging young women into constabulary vans.
Morality constabulary vans had mostly vanished from nan streets since past year.
The run quickly drew nationalist expressions of unease.
Concerned astir what they opportunity could beryllium a deepening rift betwixt nan constitution and nine astatine large, immoderate politicians person criticized nan intensified crackdown.
"... correct astatine a clip erstwhile nationalist solidarity is much important than ever, nan aforesaid disfigured scenes (witnessed during nan protests) are intensifying pinch much unit against Iranian women and girls! What benignant of argumentation is this?," reformist leader Azar Mansouri posted connected societal media level X.
Former Labor curate Ali Rabeie posted connected his X account: "I really don't understand erstwhile Iranian group consciousness bully and are proud astir confronting Israel, abruptly a group (of determination makers) push nan nine towards confrontation pinch nan establishment?."
Some others fishy nan run had a governmental motive.
A quality authorities activistic successful Tehran said nan move was aimed astatine "injecting fearfulness into nine to forestall immoderate anti-war protests and quell home dissent erstwhile nan rulers are astatine warfare pinch Israel".
TOUGHER STANCE
"It is nary coincidence that connected nan very time of nan onslaught connected Israel, constabulary flooded nan streets. They were concerned astir nan resurgence of unrest," said nan activist, who said connected information of anonymity because of nan issue's sensitivity.
The imaginable of a war pinch Israel, aft a bid of tit-for-tat retaliation betwixt nan arch foes, has alarmed galore mean Iranians already facing an array of problems, ranging from economical misery to tightening societal and governmental controls aft nan nationwide unrest successful 2022-23.
A erstwhile mean authorities charismatic said nan clerical rulers had adopted a tougher stance against voices calling for governmental and societal changes, fearing that specified views could summation traction astatine a clip erstwhile Iran is nether outer pressure.
"That is portion of nan rulers' strategy to consolidate their grip connected powerfulness erstwhile nan state faces threats from its arch force Israel," said nan erstwhile official.
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An Iranian politician, a erstwhile lawmaker, said "it is not conscionable astir cracking down connected women who break nan dress code. In nan past days, we person witnessed a clear crackdown connected immoderate motion of dissent".
Journalists, lawyers, activists, quality authorities advocates and students person been arrested, summoned aliases faced different measures successful nan past days, according to guidance news websites.
Those websites said nan superior complaint against those arrested was "inciting nationalist opinion". On April 14, nan intelligence portion of Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned against immoderate pro-Israeli posts by societal media users, authorities media reported.
