Iranian police announced on Saturday that they have begun implementing measures to identify and punish women who violate the dress code imposed in the Islamic Republic, using “smart” technology.
In a statement on its website, the police said they had “starting today” “carefully planned actions” on public roads, vehicles and “sites where the hijab is sometimes removed”.
“In this context, the technology will be used for the intelligent identification of people who break the law,” the police said.
The new measures come as more and more women are defying Iran’s compulsory dress code, including the wearing of the veil, since the start of protests sparked by the September 16 death in custody of Mahsa Amini, arrested for to a strict dress code.
“According to the laws in force, the fact of removing the hijab is considered a crime”, warned Hassan Mofakhami, chief of security of the police, quoted in the press release.
“People who break the law are responsible for their actions and must be held accountable for their behavior,” he added.
Mofakhami also promised to warn companies whose employees remove their hijab at work, before closing their premises in the event of a recurrence.
Last week, police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said that “those who remove their veils will be identified using smart equipment”.
“People who remove their hijab in public places will first receive a warning and then be brought before the courts,” Radan warned.
According to him, car owners will also receive a warning message if a passenger violates the dress code. They risk the seizure of their vehicle in the event of a repeat offense, he added.
In late March, the head of the judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, warned that anyone who removes the veil would be “punished”.