Iranian women have started an anti-hijabcampaign across the country, where they defied the Islamic Republic¡¯s stricthijab rules by posting photos of themselves taking off their hijabs todemonstrate opposition to strict rules which ban women from showing their hairin public.?
According to various media reports,Iranian women Tuesday participated in an anti-hijab campaign across the countryon a day when the country celebrates the National Day of Hijab and Chastity,and government institutions and agencies are instructed to promote it for aweek.
Iranian women¡¯s rights activists removed their hijabs publicly and shared these videos on social media on the day.
While women in Iran are protesting the day by removing their headscarf, men are showing solidarity with them.
Women¡¯s rights are stringently restrictedin Iran and wearing a headscarf is compulsory in public for all women there ¨Cwith those who do not wear a hijab, or have some of their hair on display whilewearing a hijab, face punishments ranging from fines to imprisonment.?
Authorities' decision to declare Tuesday¡°Hijab and Chastity Day¡± comes in the context of the Islamic Republic stagingan operation to force women to wear the hijab ¨C labelling women, many of whomare young, who infringe the rules as ¡°bad-hijab¡±, The Independentreported.
Allan Hogarth, of Amnesty International, aleading global human rights organisation, told The Independent: ¡°Iran has along and appalling record of persecuting women who are simply exercising theirright to choose what to wear.
¡°The brave women who are currently takinga stand against these sexist laws, know the risks they are undertaking. Threeyoung Iranian women; Monireh, Yasaman, and Mojgan are currently serving morethan 30 years in prison simply for handing out flowers to female passengers ona metro train in Tehran whilst unveiled.
"The women were filmed, sharing theirhopes for a future where all women in Iran would have the freedom to choosewhat to wear.¡±
The country¡¯s security forces in recent months have strictly tried to reinforce the dress code, prompting calls by women to oppose it.
The anti-hijab social media campaign hasbeen led by US-based activist Masih Alinejad who has been behind several onlinecampaigns in the past decade.?Tomorrow Iranian women will shake the clerical regime by removing their hijab and taking to the streets across Iran to say #No2Hijab. This is called Women Revolution.
Ahead of the protest, Masih Alinejadtweeted: ¡°Tomorrow Iranian women will shake the clerical regime by removingtheir hijab and taking to the streets across Iran to say #No2Hijab. This iscalled Women Revolution. In Iran #WalkingUnveiled is a crime. Iranian men willalso join us¡±.
On 12 July, she tweeted again, ¡°As wepromised! We remove our hijabs and I hope everyone joins us. Forcing women towear hijab is not part of Iranian culture. It is the culture of the Taliban, ISIS, and the Islamic Republic. Enough is enough. #No2Hijab¡±.
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