Iran’s New Morality Laws Threaten Women with Death Penalty

Iran’s controversial “Protecting the Family through the Promotion of Chastity and Hijab” law, which takes effect today, December 13, 2024, has drawn widespread international condemnation. The law imposes severe penalties on women and girls who refuse to comply with compulsory veiling, including the death penalty. Offences such as “nudity,” “indecency,” and “bad dressing” are punishable by flogging, imprisonment of up to 10 years, and fines. It also includes travel bans and restrictions on education and employment.

Amnesty International has condemned the law, with Deputy Regional Director Diana Eltahawy stating, “It intensifies the persecution of women and girls for daring to stand up for their rights.” Eltahawy warned that the law further entrenches Iran’s “suffocating system of repression,” while giving impunity to vigilantes who enforce veiling by force.

Iranian human rights lawyer Saeid Dehghan called the law unconstitutional, stating, “The punishments are grossly disproportionate to their actions.” Activist Nazanin Afshin-Jam MacKay described it as a “radical crackdown” by an “oppressive, gender-apartheid regime.”

The law follows widespread protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died in custody for not properly wearing her hijab. A 23-year-old protester from the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom demonstrations said, “They’ve already killed Mahsa anyway, and, by now making it into law, they’re simply legalising the killing.”