An ‘Assault on Women’s Rights’: UN Experts Call on Iran to Repeal Hijab Law

Latest Developments

• Iran’s New Law Punishes Defiance of Hijab Mandate: Iran must repeal its new law enforcing the mandatory hijab, or headscarf, a group of 10 UN experts said in a December 13 statement. “The new hijab law marks an intensification of state control over women’s bodies in Iran and is a further assault on women’s rights and freedoms,” asserted the experts, who include Mai Sato, the UN special rapporteur for human rights in Iran. While previous Iranian laws already require women to wear the hijab, the new statute raises the costs of defiance, including longer prison terms, larger fines, and even the death penalty.

• Hijab Enforcement Triggers Nationwide Protests: Protests erupted throughout Iran in September 2022 after the regime’s morality police killed 22-year-old Mahsa Amini for allegedly failing to wear her hijab properly. The nationwide uprising, known as the “Women, Life, Freedom” movement, called for regime change, citing not only the hijab laws but also the full range of Iran’s domestic repression and regional aggression. Protests continue to this day. In December to date, 71 protests have already occurred, according to FDD’s Iran protest tracker. In November, 197 demonstrations took place.

• Israel Expresses Solidarity With Iranian People: A day before the UN statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video message directed at the Iranian people. Noting the collapse of Iran’s proxies, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Assad regime in Syria, Netanyahu expressed confidence that the Islamic Republic of Iran would fall as well in the near future. “One day Iran will be free,” he said. “Women, life, freedom!”

FDD Expert Response

“The incoming Trump administration should make support for Iranian women a prominent feature of a revived maximum pressure campaign. The incoming U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Elise Stefanik, is well-positioned to be a champion for Iranian women at the Security Council. This is an Achilles’ heel for the regime, and we should be taking full advantage.” — Richard Goldberg, Senior Advisor

“The regime’s hijab law reflects its weakness, serving as an attempt to energize and unify its shrinking base while diverting attention from its regional defeats. The law also aims to direct attention away from Tehran’s profound failure to provide basic economic opportunities for the majority of Iranians, including an increasing number of its own supporters. The regime has lost the hijab war, and the hijab law won’t change that fact.” — Saeed Ghasseminejad, Senior Iran and Financial Economics Advisor

“With the defeat of Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Assad regime, Iran’s leaders are watching their regional empire collapse before their very eyes. Yet rather than redirecting their attention to the just demands of the Iranian people, the mullahs are doubling down on their repressive Islamist ideology. The new law targeting women reflects Tehran’s enduring commitment to its radical creed — and suggests that only regime change stands a chance of bringing lasting freedom to Iran.” — Tzvi Kahn, Research Fellow and Senior Editor

“As the Islamic Republic confronts the resurgence of the maximum pressure campaign alongside intensified Israeli efforts to counter its influence, the heightened paranoia among its officials reveals deep-seated fears of internal collapse. Predictably, the regime’s initial response in its crackdown on Iranians targets the most vibrant pillar of Iranian civil society: women’s rights.” — Janatan Sayeh, Research Analyst