For several weeks, astonishing videos and images have been circulating on Iranian social networks: we see, in the middle of Tehran, young women without headscarves and without coats – two pieces of clothing that were once obligatory – sometimes even wearing skirts, legs exposed, and, what is even more surprising, wearing tank tops, stomachs exposed, even though the law still requires Iranian women to cover their bodies, except for the hands and face. Likewise, more and more women are starting to ride motorbikes in the city, but the activity is prohibited.
The first signs of this development emerged after the Women, Life, Freedom uprising, sparked by the death in September 2022 of young Mahsa Amini, who was arrested on trial. “not Islamic enough”. But now, especially in Tehran, the police no longer step in to arrest those who break the law. However, even though social rules have been relaxed, political repression has not weakened. Across the country, lynchings, arrests, summonses and repression of critical voices continue.
You have 84.33% of this article left to read. The remainder is provided to customers.
