Iran suspends controversial new dress code law

Iran’s National Security Council has halted the implementation of the controversial “chastity and hijab law,” which was due to come into force on Friday.

President Massoud Pezeshkian called the legislation “ambiguous and in need of reform,” signaling his intention to reevaluate its measures.

The proposed new law, which would introduce harsher punishments for women and girls for exposing their hair, forearms or legs, had been heavily criticized by human rights activists.

Strict dress codes imposed on women and girls, which the Islamic Republic of Iran’s rulers have treated for decades as a national security priority, have sparked protests in the past.

Under the new law, repeat offenders and anyone flouting the rules would face higher fines and longer prison terms, up to 15 years in prison. It would also require companies to report anyone who violates the rules.

Human rights groups had expressed alarm. Amnesty International said Iranian authorities were “trying to entrench the already suffocating system of repression.”

During the presidential election in July, then-candidate Pezeshkian openly criticized the treatment of Iranian women over the hijab issue.

He promised not to interfere in their personal lives, a stance that resonated with many Iranians, especially among a younger generation frustrated by rigid government control.

Masoumeh Ebtekar, former vice president of Women and Family Affairs, also criticized the law, saying: “The new legislation is an indictment against half of the Iranian population.”

The hijab debate gained further momentum last week when Parastoo Ahmadi, a popular Iranian singer, was arrested after stream a virtual concert with no audience present on YouTube without wearing the hijab.

The concert quickly went viral, and the arrest of Ahmadi and his bandmates sparked widespread backlash. Faced with public outcry, authorities released them the next day.

Tensions over the hijab have remained high since the 2022 national protests sparked by the death of Mahsa “Zhina” Amini, a young Kurdish woman who died in police custody after being detained for allegedly violating the dress code.

Over the past two years, many young Iranian women have defiantly removed their hijab in public, challenging the authority of the government.

Last week, more than 300 Iranian human rights activists, writers and journalists publicly condemned the new hijab law, calling it “illegitimate and unenforceable” and urged Pezeshkian to fulfill his campaign promises.

Despite pressure from hardline factions close to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, many young people in Iran appear unafraid to confront the regime’s restrictions.

Pezeshkian’s supporters believe the new hijab law will fail to deter young women from challenging it and could even make the situation worse.

However, supporters of the legislation have pressured the president to move forward, criticizing the National Security Council’s hesitations and demanding that he sign the law to clear the way for its implementation.

The decision to suspend its implementation suggests the government fears it could trigger another wave of mass protests, like those seen two years ago.