On September 16, 2022 , 22-year old Masha Amini died while in police custody. Iranian authorities have said that Amini died of a heart attack, but a United Nations report states that she was severely beaten, and her family and many supporters allege law enforcement officials killed her. Her death has sparked protests throughout Iran as demonstrators demand an end to violence against women and the obligatory wearing of a hijab. After the Iran revolution of 1979 Iran has been a theocracy headed by the Supreme leader, who is chosen by a council of 88 clerics known as the assembly of experts.
The prerequisite being that they have to be an ayatollah, a high ranking member in the Shia clergy in Iran, with the law actually being changed that one doesn’t have to be, as is the case with the current supreme leader. The revolution occurred due to the abuse that the monarchy of the Shah was abusing the resources and rights of the Iranian people. This was able to propel the original Ayatollah, Ruhollah Khomeini, as a leader who spoke against the monarchy and the west in general inspiring the people to begin their fight against the monarchy eventually winning the revolution. The government of Iran bases its laws on that of Sharia law, the law code explained in the Koran. With the Supreme leader literally having almost unlimited power they are both the head of state and the person who chooses almost all members in the government. Due to this following of the Koran we are able to see that Iran is a very conservative nation following most of the laws of Sharia law and giving out harsh punishments as mentioned in the Koran.
This lead to the forced wearing of the Hijab by the female population. The Hijab is a piece of cloth that covers the head and chest of women, with the amount of covering used by women based on different nations and their interpretations of the Koran. In Iran the rule that they have to follow is that the Hijab must cover their head, and that they wear loose fitting clothes. The Hijab actually predates Islam and was used by people to protect themselves from the harsh weather of the Middle East. The reason as to why it is now used by so many members of the muslim faith is due to two reasons: It represents modest, privacy, and morality. The second reason that it is worn is due to the fact that it goes all the way back to Muhammad, Islam’s most important prophet. Muhammad asked his wives to wear hijabs to set them apart from others. It was meant to indicate their special status.
Before the Iranian revolution during the ruling of the monarch known as the Shah we actually began to see a very liberal and more western influenced nation taking root in Iran. Although unpopular the Shah did enact several reforms including the structuring of Iran around a central Persian identity, the often brutal suppression of tribes and their laws in exchange for strong a central government, and the expansion of woman’s rights. Women were encouraged to go to school and universities and the Shah even banned the use of Hijabs by women. After the revolution the Ayatollah and the conservative party now in power made it a requirement for women to wear hijabs whenever they were out in public.
The mandatory hijab laws and the strict enforcement by the so-called “Morality Police” showcases the horrible treatment of women in Iran. Unlike any time since 1979, a younger generation of Iranians, particularly women, are now rallying around opposition to mandatory hijab rules to not only defy this one law but the entirety of the Islamic Republic’s draconian social-religious dogma and the lengths to which it goes to impose its values on society. We are now seeing mass protest all over Iran against the mandatory law and the horrible treatment of women. Sadly along with the protest we also see the cruel crackdown on the people by the government. The government is now spending more money and arresting more and more people who are part of the protest, showcasing just how cruel and oppressive the government truly is. Yet, inspired by the unjustified death of Masha Amini the people of Iran are not backing down, and actually have even gotten international support from celebrities and several world leaders as well. Several European leaders are currently calling for sanctions against the nation. There are also several protest in solidarity with the Iranian people happening all over the world. There is no telling what is going to happen in Iran or if there will be justice for Masha Amini but the protest have brought forward the fact that the people of Iran want a government and nation that doesn’t ignore their needs and treats them like nothing.
This is a CIMA Law Group blog entry. CIMA Law Group is located in Arizona and specializes in Immigration Law, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, and Government Relations. If you live in Arizona and need legal assistance CIMA Law Group can help.
CIMA Law Group Blog 