Two Iranian actresses were charged for not wearing hijab
TEHRAN: Two famous Iranian actresses have been charged for not wearing a hijab, thus violating the national dress code for women in the country, Al Jazeera news portal reported .
Iranian state media reported that Tehran police dragged Katayoun Riahi and Pantea Bahram to court for allegedly committing “the offense of removing the veil in public and uploading their photos in cyberspace.”
If convicted, the two famous actresses could be fined or jailed.
Last week, a photo of Bahram, 53, who was not wearing a hijab while attending a movie premiere event went viral on social media.
Meanwhile, veteran actor Riahi, 61, was arrested by the authorities last November on suspicion of being involved in ‘threatening national security and inciting propaganda against the government’ after becoming the first celebrity to upload a picture without a hijab as a sign of support for the demonstrations held around September last year.
The months-long demonstration began after the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman, who died after being arrested by the police for allegedly disobeying the country’s hijab law that was implemented shortly after the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
Since the demonstration, more and more women across Iran have abandoned their obligatory veils, in fact, large numbers of local women who do not cover their aurat can be seen in public areas in Tehran and elsewhere.
Police Chief Ahmadreza Radan, who was appointed by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei last January, announced that the authorities would ‘seriously’ deal with any citizen who violates the hijab rules, which is also the main ideology of the Iranian government.
Since the announcement, a large number of women have uploaded pictures of themselves without the hijab on various social media platforms in addition to not wearing loose clothing as prescribed by the country’s laws.
Earlier this month, Iranian police said they would begin using smart technology in public places to crack down on women who violate the country’s mandatory dress code.
