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RFL/RE – Iranian rights activist Melika Qaragozlu has been sentenced to three years and eight months in prison for protesting the country’s mandatory hijab rules, her lawyer says.
Mohammad Ali Kamfiruzi, Qaragozlu’s lawyer, wrote on Twitter on September 19 that the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran recently handed down the sentence to his client for publishing a few seconds of video herself without a headscarf on social media.
Qaragozlu, who was arrested after participating in a nationwide civil-disobedience campaign on July 12, posted a video of herself on social media protesting the compulsory Islamic headscarf, or hijab.
The hijab — the head covering worn by Muslim women — became compulsory in public for Iranian women and girls over the age of 9 after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
A July 5 order by President Ebrahim Raisi to more strictly enforce the hijab law resulted in a new list of restrictions on how women can dress.
Following the order, women judged not to be in compliance have been barred from government offices, banks, and public transportation.
In response, activists have launched a social-media campaign under the hashtag #no2hijab to urge people to boycott companies enforcing the tougher restrictions.
On July 12, women’s rights activists posted videos of themselves publicly removing their veils to coincide with the government’s National Day of Hijab and Chastity.
Days later, security agents started arresting women who participated in the campaign.
Qaragozlu’s lawyer also said that his client “has numerous medical records” and although the forensic doctor confirmed that she “must be under the supervision of a specialist psychiatrist,” that was not taken into account in issuing the verdict.
The move came as different cities of Iran were the scene of widespread protests against the hijab. Recent nationwide demonstrations erupted over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after she was taken into police custody for allegedly breaking the hijab rules.SEE ALSO:Iranian Medical Official Says Amini’s Death Caused By Head Injury, Rejects Official Version
The notorious morality-police patrols have become increasingly active and violent. Videos have emerged on social media appearing to show officers detaining women, forcing them into vans, and whisking them away.
Many Iranian women have flouted the rule over the years and pushed the boundaries of what officials say is acceptable clothing.
