Two years after the death of Mahsa Amini, an Iranian Kurdish woman, United Nations experts have accused Iran of escalating its repression of women, particularly those involved in activism. Amini’s death in police custody in September 2022, following her arrest for allegedly breaching Iran’s strict dress code, sparked widespread protests across the country. Now, the UN warns that Iran has not only doubled down on these repressive measures but also expanded its efforts to suppress women’s rights and activism.
Amini, 22, was detained by Iran’s morality police in Tehran for allegedly violating the country’s mandatory hijab laws. She died three days later, prompting protests throughout Iran, which were met with a brutal crackdown by security forces. While the protests have largely subsided, the UN fact-finding mission on Iran reports that the Iranian government has continued to intensify its efforts to silence women and girls who challenge the system.
In a statement issued by the mission, experts highlighted the Iranian state’s continued efforts to undermine women’s fundamental rights, branding them as “second-class citizens.” These experts, appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate the deadly suppression of protests following Amini’s death, warned that state authorities had expanded their tactics of repression since April 2023.
According to the experts, one of the key tools in this campaign of repression is the “Noor Plan,” which sanctions violations against women and girls who defy the mandatory hijab laws. Under this plan, women perceived as not complying with the country’s dress code face physical violence, including being beaten, kicked, or slapped by security forces. The use of technology, such as drones, to enhance surveillance and monitor compliance with the hijab regulations has also increased, even extending into private spaces like vehicles.
In addition to these immediate repressive measures, Iran is in the process of passing a new “Hijab and Chastity” bill, which could impose harsher penalties on women who violate the dress code. The proposed legislation includes provisions for steep fines, long prison sentences, and travel bans for offenders. These developments reflect a broader strategy by the Iranian government to stifle any further activism or resistance to the dress code.
The experts expressed particular alarm over what they described as a growing pattern of sentencing women activists to death, particularly those convicted of national security offenses. They suggested that the death penalty and other legal provisions related to national security are increasingly being used to intimidate and deter women from protesting or expressing themselves freely.
Over the last two years, Iran has seen a sharp rise in the use of capital punishment as a tool of repression. The UN experts emphasized that this trend, along with other forms of state violence, has been designed to terrorize the population and discourage dissent. Despite the government’s efforts, women and girls continue to defy the regime, challenging the deeply entrenched patriarchal system that restricts their rights.
The UN’s warning underscores that the fight for women’s rights in Iran remains ongoing, with the regime increasingly resorting to more severe methods of control.