TEHRAN — Iranian authorities have administered 74 lashes to a woman, Roya Heshmati, citing her actions as a violation of public morals and for not covering her head, the judiciary announced.
According to the judiciary’s Mizan Online website, Heshmati, a 33-year-old woman of Kurdish origins, was found guilty of encouraging permissiveness by appearing “disgracefully” in busy public places in Tehran. The punishment of 74 lashes was carried out in accordance with the law and sharia, the judiciary stated, emphasizing the breach of public morals.
Heshmati’s arrest in April was related to the publication of a photo on social media without wearing a headscarf, as disclosed by her lawyer, Maziar Tatai. In addition to the lashings, she was fined 12 million rials (approximately $25) for not wearing the Muslim veil in public.
Since shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, all women in Iran have been legally required to cover their neck and head. Whippings for dress code violations are infrequent, but authorities have intensified efforts to enforce the rules following increased defiance, especially during the anti-government protests that began in late 2022.
The protests were triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022. A 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, Amini was arrested for allegedly breaching the strict dress code and later died in custody. The circumstances of her death are disputed by Iranian authorities and her family.
In response to the protests, surveillance cameras have been installed in public places to monitor violations, and businesses breaching the rules have been shut down. Iran’s parliament has also considered a bill to strengthen penalties for those defying the dress code.
The mandatory headscarf, or hijab, is considered a sign of piety and modesty for observant Muslim women. In Iran, it has also become a political symbol, especially after becoming mandatory following the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Alongside neighboring Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, Iran is one of the few countries where the hijab remains compulsory for women.
