Tehran deputy governor defends crackdown on pro-hijab sit-in
The deputy governor of Tehran has defended the police action against a sit-in by supporters of mandatory hijab outside Iran’s parliament on Friday, saying the gathering was unauthorized.
The deputy governor of Tehran has defended the police action against a sit-in by supporters of mandatory hijab outside Iran’s parliament on Friday, saying the gathering was unauthorized.
Hossein Khosh-Eghbal said on Saturday that outdoor protests or sit-ins must have official permission. “We thank the security and police forces for enforcing the law and maintaining public order,” he said, adding that gatherings without a permit would face a legal response.
His comments came after some Iranian domestic media reported that police dispersed the sit-in on Friday, which coincided with Quds Day. Protesters had been camped outside parliament for several weeks, calling for the enforcement of Iran’s new and more restrictive hijab law.
The law, which increases penalties for violations of the country’s dress code, was passed by parliament in September but has not been implemented. Authorities delayed its enforcement in December following domestic opposition and international pressure.
Drafted in May 2023, less than a year after the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini in September 2022, the law was introduced in response to widespread defiance of compulsory veiling by women and young girls.
Videos shared online appeared to show the protest site being cleared. In the footage, individuals identifying themselves as participants said they were removed by police, taken away and later abandoned near Behesht-e Zahra cemetery and the burial site of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, south of Tehran.
The crackdown has drawn mixed reactions. Some conservative figures criticized the move, while others aligned with the government welcomed the end of what they described as an illegal protest.
Khosh-Eghbal called on all political groups loyal to the Islamic Republic to avoid “divisive and unlawful behavior,” especially during sensitive times. He said demands should be expressed “wisely and within the legal framework,” and warned that unrest could be exploited by hostile groups.
