“The Islamic Republic of Iran depends on a system, each in regulation and in follow, that basically discriminates on the grounds of gender,” the replace famous, highlighting the far-reaching impacts on ladies and women’ bodily autonomy, freedom of expression and faith, in addition to a variety of financial, social and cultural rights.
The heightened repression comes two years after the illegal loss of life in custody of 22-year-old Jina Mahasa Amini, arrested by Iran’s “morality police” in Tehran on 13 September 2022 for alleged non-compliance with Iran’s legal guidelines on necessary hijab.
Her loss of life triggered protests throughout the nation demanding accountability and an finish to discrimination below the hallmark slogan of “Lady, Life, Freedom.”
Rise in violence, surveillance, executions
Iranian safety forces have escalated pre-existing patterns of bodily violence, together with beating, kicking, and slapping ladies and women who’re perceived as failing to adjust to the necessary hijab legal guidelines and rules, in response to the report from the UN’s Impartial Worldwide Reality-Discovering Mission on Iran.
State authorities have additionally elevated monitoring of hijab compliance in each the private and non-private spheres by way of the elevated use of surveillance, together with drones.
In the meantime, during the last two years, the loss of life penalty and different felony legal guidelines have been used to terrorise Iranians and discourage them from protesting and expressing themselves freely, investigators stated.
This obvious new sample of sentencing ladies activists to loss of life – together with some belonging to Iran’s ethnic and spiritual minorities, following their convictions for nationwide safety offences – raised utmost concern within the replace.
Amidst such escalation in violence, a “Hijab and Chastity” invoice is within the remaining phases of approval the place it’s more likely to be finalised.
The invoice will subject harsher penalties for ladies who don’t put on the necessary hijab, together with exorbitant monetary fines, longer jail sentences, restrictions on work and academic alternatives, and bans on journey, the impartial rights consultants contend.
Girls’s plight should stay ‘excessive on agenda’
The Mission is looking on Iran to right away cease executing protesters and think about ending the loss of life penalty altogether, to launch all folks arbitrarily arrested as a result of protests and finish all repressive coverage and institutional measures towards ladies and women, together with the “Hijab and Chastity” invoice.
“With no deterrence for the State concerning the growing violations towards ladies and women, there is no such thing as a sensible hope that victims and survivors may absolutely and meaningfully entry the basic rights and freedoms to which they’re entitled, and which the Islamic Republic of Iran has obligations to respect and guarantee,” the replace warned.
Given the widespread impunity that prevails throughout Iran, together with for crimes towards humanity, the Mission can also be calling on UN Member States to scale up efforts to make sure the rights of victims and their households.
“States should proceed to position the scenario of ladies and women within the Islamic Republic of Iran excessive on the worldwide agenda,” the replace stated.