Dress code patrols return in Iran

Iran's "Morality Police", which enforces the strict dress codes imposed by the ayatollahs' regime, is renewing patrols 10 months after the death of Mahsa Amini, the young woman arrested for not wearing her hijab properly. 

According to CNN, "Saeid Montazeralmahdi, spokesman for Iran's police agency, Faraja, said police will resume foot and vehicle patrols across the country from Sunday". They will resume "Morality Police" patrols and arrests for dress code violations.  

Women who are arrested could face legal action and detention in "re-education centres", where they detain those who do not comply with rules relating to modesty, and where detainees will take part in classes on Islam and dress code. 

Ten months ago, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was arrested by this body on 13 September for not wearing the veil correctly and died three days later in police custody. Following this event, thousands of people took to the streets in protest at her death. Human rights groups estimate that 20,000 people were arrested and another 500 killed during these demonstrations. On 4 December the Prosecutor General announced the disbanding of the "Morality Police", however, in recent months the presence of the officers on the streets of Iran's cities has been observed, albeit less intensively.   

Following the Iranian Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iranian law has required all women in Iran to wear hijabs that cover their heads and necks and keep their hair hidden. The Islamic Revolution Committees served as the Islamic religious police, until 2005 when the 'Gasht-e-Ershad' or Guidance Patrol, also known as the 'Morality Police', was established as part of the national police, under the control of the Ministry of Interior and reporting to Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Currently, the conservative government of President Ebrahim Raisi has announced the resumption of its police activities. 

According to Al-Jazeera, "the government and parliament have been working on legislation aimed at tightening controls on the hijab, but the bill has been criticised by conservative opponents who argue that it is too lenient".