Hijab

Iran establishes Tehran court for ‘moral security’ as it tightens monitoring of hijab compliance

BBC Persian reported that the announcement comes amid the renewed presence of morality police and heightened street harassment of women perceived to be violating Iran’s compulsory dress code.

Women walk past shops at Valiasr Square in central Tehran on August 8, 2026.
Iranian singer Anita Papist seen singing in a social media video posted on July 18, 2026.

Iranian singer Anita Papist sentenced to 74 lashes for ‘offending public decency’ by singing

PORTRAIT IMAGE of Parastoo Ahmadi, Iranian folk and traditional singer.

Iran sentences singer Parastoo Ahmadi, eight others to lashings over performance without hijab

FILE PHOTO: Two Afghan women in interview with Reuters.

UN says Taliban arrest 30 women for violating hijab rules in Afghanistan


What is Basij? The Islamic Republic's 'iron fist' to suppress protesters - explainer

Basij, a key paramilitary militia under the IRGC, has a violent history of suppressing protests, enforcing morality laws, and committing human rights abuses, including torture and sexual abuse.

A Basij militia member patrols in Tehran following a US strike, March 5, 2026; illustrative.

'Mercenaries for foreigners': Khamenei accuses Iranian protesters of acting on behalf of Trump

The demonstrations, which began in Tehran last month, have spread to all of Iran's 31 provinces but have yet to reach the scale of the 2022-3 unrest sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini.

IRANIANS GATHER while blocking a street during a protest in Kermanshah, Iran on January 8, 2026.

Austrian lower house passes headscarf ban for under-14s in schools

Austria's lower house of parliament passed the ban despite uncertainty over whether such legislation is unconstitutional, as a previous ban was ruled unconstitutional five years ago.

High school students studying classes at school

Austrian government presses ahead with planned headscarf ban in schools

The lower house is due to discuss the legislation that would introduce the ban, despite criticism from rights groups and the possibility that the Constitutional Court could overturn it.

 February 1 marks World Hijab Day. (Illustrative).

'A woman is like a flower': Khamenei defends Iran’s treatment of women as critics cite Mahsa Amini

“A woman is like a flower. A flower must be cared for and protected, and she will enrich you with her color, fragrance, and qualities,” he said.

 Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei seen on the backdrop of the pre-revolution flag of Iran (illustrative)

Iran's judiciary sues US for $22b. damages caused by 2022 protests following Mahsa Amini's death

A Tehran court ordered the US to pay $22b. in damages for allegedly supporting Iran’s 2022 protests after Mahsa Amini’s death, issuing another political ruling amid strained ties.

A mural of Mahsa Amini painted by Chilean-American artist Rodrigo Pradel in collaboration with Yasi Farazad, his Iranian-American friend, is pictured in Washington, United States in this undated handout picture.

Australian far-right senator wears burqa to parliament, sparking outrage

Senator Pauline Hanson wore the burqa shortly after she was denied permission to introduce a bill that would outlaw burqas and other full-face coverings in public places in Australia.

Australian far-right Senator Pauline Hanson wore a burqa to Parliament on Monday

US honors Mahsa Amini on third anniversary of execution in Iran

Amini, 22, was detained in Tehran for allegedly wearing her hijab improperly.

Mahsa (Zhina) Amini" Mural ; Hackney London.

Turkish Cypriots protest new rule permitting hijab in schools

The new ruling comes after an eighth-grade student was barred from entering a Nicosia school for wearing a hijab.

Protesters demonstrate against a new regulations allowing young women to wear hijabs in secondary school in the northern part of the Cypriot capital Nicosia, in the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). May 2, 2025.

Big Brother in Tehran: Iran's police state supresses women with AI, drones

Authoritarian regimes often enforce strict clothing laws to assert their dominance over their citizens' physical and ideological autonomy.

 Iranian woman holds a photo of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during a rally that marks the 46th anniversary of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran, on February 10, 2025.