Iran police to use cameras to identify women not wearing veil

Tehran, Apr 8 (EFE).- Surveillance cameras will be set up in public spaces in Iran to identify women not wearing a veil, police said Saturday.

The veil has been compulsory in Iran since 1983, and failure to wear it is punishable by imprisonment.

Women across the country have been flouting those rules as a form of protest and civil disobedience since the death in September of Mahsa Amini after she was arrested for wearing the hijab incorrectly.

“In an innovative measure to avoid tensions and conflicts in the enforcement of the veil law, the police will use smart tools and cameras in public places and roads to identify people (who do not wear the hijab),” the security force said in a statement quoted by Tasnim news agency.

The security force explained that messages would be sent to women who do not comply with the veil and chastity law, “informing them of the consequences”.

“The police will not tolerate any individual or collective behavior that is contrary to the law,” according to the statement.

The measure is aimed at “preserving family values, strengthening mental health and ensuring the peace of citizens” and preventing acts that “sully” the country’s spirituality, according to police.

Amini’s death sparked strong protests across the country calling for the end of the Islamic Republic, with universities, colleges and even high schools playing an important role.

A state crackdown led to the deaths of some 500 people, while thousands were arrested. Four protesters have been executed.

In recent weeks tensions have escalated as more women choose not to wear the garment, with calls from clerics and conservatives to enforce the rules.

The education and health ministries announced on Monday that they would not allow female students not wearing the veil to attend universities and colleges.

Authorities are also closing shops and restaurants that cater to unveiled women across the country. EFE

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