Iran’s main reform party on Saturday (September 24th) urged the state to rescind the veil requirement after the death of a young woman in police custody sparked protests across the country. According to a law in force in the country since 1983, women, Iranian and foreign and whatever their religion, must go out with their heads veiled and their bodies covered with a loose garment of varying length.
Mahsa Amini, 22, was arrested on September 13 in Tehran for “wearing inappropriate clothing” by the morality police, responsible for enforcing the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code. She died three days later in hospital.
The People’s Union of Islamic Iran, formed by relatives of former reformist President Mohammad Khatami (1997-2005), said ” require “ of the authorities that they “preparing the legal elements paving the way for the cancellation of the law on compulsory hijab”according to a statement released on Saturday.
More than seven hundred arrests
This party, which is not in power, is also demanding that the Islamic Republic announce “officially the end of the activities of the morality police” and “allow peaceful protests”, adds the text. The party also called for the formation of a commission of inquiry “impartial” on the death of Mahsa Amini and the “immediate release of those recently arrested”.
The death of the young woman triggered nightly demonstrations in the main cities of Iran during which at least thirty-five people were killed, according to an official report. Several hundred demonstrators were also arrested.
Only in the province of Guilan (north), “739 rioters including sixty women” were arrested, the police chief said, according to the Tasnim news agency, speaking of the protesters.