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RFL/RE – Iran’s cyberpolice are launching a planto combat “moral and social crimes that violate Islamic, social, and cultural norms in cyberspace,” in another sign of the curbing of freedoms by authorities following a renewed crackdown on the wearing of head scarves and the blocking of several social media sites.
According to the semiofficial ISNA news agency, cyberpolice chief Vahid Majid outlined the new measures targeting online activities, including “obscene live streaming, vulgar content production, and modeling.”
“In a proactive strategy, we have identified and taken legal and operational actions against the operators, managers, and members of 10 active cybersites,” Majid added.
The cyberpolice recently blocked several popular social media pages — including Instagram, as well as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, Telegram, and WhatsApp — while the judiciary has pursued cases involving social media commentary, summoning individuals and pressing charges for various offenses.
At the same time, the Islamic republic’s authorities have resumed the deployment of the morality police on Iran’s streets, aggressively targeting citizens, particularly women, in an effort to enforce strict dress codes.
This has led to the documentation by activists and victims of what they say are several incidents of violence against women challenging the compulsory hijab.
It has also led to widespread usage of the Internet by social network users and civil activists to complain about the situation.
A recent survey by ISPA, the Student Opinion Polling Center of Iran, revealed that a significant portion of the population continues to access the blocked platforms, with 46.5 percent using Instagram, 35.3 percent on WhatsApp, and 34.6 percent on Telegram as of February 2024.
The hijab became compulsory for women and girls over the age of 9 in 1981, two years after the Islamic Revolution in Iran, triggering protests that were swiftly crushed by the new authorities.
Many women have flouted the rule over the years and pushed the boundaries of what officials say is acceptable clothing.
