Dress code still haunts Iranian society
One of the offices of Iran's largest e-commerce company, Digikala, has been shut down by Iranian authorities following the publication of images of women without the hijab, reports Arab News. The employees were reportedly part of a corporate meeting at which photos were taken, and in which they appeared without the mandatory hijab.
Digikala, with more than 40 million monthly active users, serves as a substitute for Iranian citizens for services such as Amazon, which does not operate within Persian borders due to international sanctions. Although its digital operations continue, one of its established offices in Tehran has been closed by the Iranian authorities.
Iran's judiciary website said that court cases had been filed in connection with the publication of these photos, without giving further details, reports Arab News.
Following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody when she was arrested for failing to comply with these dress codes, thousands of people took to the streets in protest. After weeks of demonstrations, in which an estimated 20,000 people were arrested and another 500 killed, the attorney general announced in December that the Morality Police would be disbanded, but in recent months vans of the Morality Police have been seen patrolling the Iranian streets in search of any dress code violations. Last week, following a statement by a spokesman for Iran's police agency, he announced the official resumption of "foot and vehicle patrols throughout the country". People who are arrested for this breach of the dress code are taken to "re-education centres".
The Morality Police, also known as the "Gasht-e-Ershad" (Guidance Patrol), is part of the National Police under the control of the Interior Ministry and under the influence of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran's government and parliament are also seeking to pass new legislation to tighten and tighten these dress regulations, specifically those related to the control of the hijab.
