Social media postings Monday showed at least five women in Iran protesting the obligatory Muslim headscarf by taking theirs off and waving them on sticks. The videos and photos showed individual women in separate locations in Tehran and Isfahan.
Masoud Sarabi, who witnessed one of the protests, confirmed the authenticity of a video shot on Tehran’s Enghelab Street. The others appeared to be authentic, but AP could not independently verify them. The women appear to be following the lead of a 31-year-old protester identified as Vida Movahed, who took off her headscarf on the same street in late December. She was detained for a few weeks and then released.
روزي اين پازل دو تكه صدتكه خواهد شد #حجاب_اجبارى pic.twitter.com/0p1zs1G88c
— Mahdieh Golru (@m_golru) January 29, 2018
Women showing their hair in public can be jailed for up to two months or fined $25 (aprox Rs 1500). The Islamic dress code, in place since the 1979 revolution, considers Islamic veiling or hijab, obligatory for any female above 13 in Iran and says they should cover themselves from head to toe while disavowing any figure-hugging dress.
Another image surfacing of a woman in #Iran, waving her #hijab in protest. This is a growing movement within #IranianProtests where women are taking the lead in the fight for a #FreeIran pic.twitter.com/J7DupqEB7l
— Annika H Rothstein (@truthandfiction) January 30, 2018
— هادی ترابی (@haditorabii) January 29, 2018
In late December, police said they would no longer arrest women for failing to observe the code. The announcement signaled an easing, as called for by the young and reform-minded Iranians who helped re-elect President Hassan Rouhani, a relative moderate, earlier this year.
Many Islamists believe hijab should not be imposed by the law, though they consider it a religious task for every Muslim woman. Both Rouhani and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei support softer attitude toward women with improper hijab, though hard-liners opposed to easing such rules still dominate Iran’s security forces and judiciary.
Many on social media applauded and encouraged these women for standing up against rigid laws.
“I took my scarf off because I’m tired of our government telling me what to do with my body,” 28yo woman protestor.
— Mona Eltahawy (@monaeltahawy) January 30, 2018
At least one of the 6 women protesting Monday was arrested by police, a shopkeeper who witnessed the arrest said. #Iran
“Forced hijab is the most visible symbol of oppression against women in Iran, that’s why fighting for freedom to wear or not to wear hijab is the first step towards full equality”https://t.co/yPx1SsEJXV
— Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) January 30, 2018
History will honour these remarkably brave women as it honours Rosa Parks.
Interesting fact: The first woman protesting, -then anonymous- did it on “revolution” street. And she quickly got the title of “girl of the revolution street” this soon turned into the hashtag #دختران_انقلاب “girls of revolution” after others joined her.#دختران_خیابان_انقلاب
— Nima Fatemi (@mrphs) January 29, 2018
These women are really brave. Taking off your Hijab on a busy street to make such a political statement could get you arrested, detained, and even fined or imprisoned in Iran.
— Negar (@NegarMortazavi) January 29, 2018
And here's a reel from the Women's Day Protests /Anti #veil protests in #iran in March 1979. This is the movement Kate Millet attempted to join before she was expelled from the country. https://t.co/TOtknhIaFO #IranProtests #iranelection #زنان_خیابان_انقلاب #دختران_خیابان_انقلاب
— Negar 🕊Mottahedeh (@negaratduke) January 30, 2018
