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Iranwire – Millions of Iranian men and women have received a text message on their mobile phones telling them that mandatory hijab rules should be observed, local media reported on April 19.
“Dear compatriot, it is necessary to respect and observe the hijab law, like any other law,” the message reads.
Police sent the SMS to anyone with an active SIM card from any operator, at a cost of approximately 20 billion rials ($40,000), according to the semi-official news website KhabarOnline.
There are more than 141 million active SIM cards in Iran.
A police spokesperson previously announced that thousands of messages were sent to trade union supervisors as part of a Hijab and Chastity plan.
All women in Iran must conceal their hair with a headscarf and wear loose fitting trousers under their coats while in public.
But a growing number of women have appeared in public without a hijab since 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in police custody in September 2022, triggering nationwide protests demanding more freedoms and women’s rights. Amini had been arrested for allegedly wearing a headscarf improperly.
Some defiant women were arrested or summoned by the authorities, while many businesses were shut down due to the failure of owners or managers to observe hijab rules.
The judiciary claimed that according to the Islamic Penal Code, removing the hijab in public is a “crime,” and police chief Ahmadreza Radan warned that starting on April 15, anyone violating hijab laws in public places, cars and commercial establishments will be prosecuted.
Despite the repeated warnings from the authorities, Iranian women continue to post images of themselves in public places without a head covering.
