Wear hijab even in cars, Iran tells women amid protests: Report

Iran Anti-Hijab Protests: Mahsa Amini was arrested for not wearing hijab properly, thus, breaching Iran's strict dress code for women.

Iranian police resumed warnings to women that they must wear mandatory hijabs even in cars amid unrest in the country following the death of Mahsa Amini, AFP reported. Widespread demonstrations have gripped Iran since the September 16 death of 22-year old Mahsa Amini following her arrest in Tehran. She was arrested for not wearing hijab properly, thus, breaching Iran's strict dress code for women.

Iran Anti-Hijab Protests: Iranians protest the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. (AP)

Fars news agency quoted a senior Iran police officer who said that the "new stage" of the Nazer-1 programme was being rolled out "across the country by the police". The programme which was launched in 2020 amid concerns the "removal of hijab in cars", Fars reported. Under the programme, care owners would be sent a text message alerting them of a dress code violation in their vehicle and warning of "legal" action would also be repeated.

"The removal of hijab has been observed in your vehicle: It is necessary to respect the norms of the society and make sure this action is not repeated," read a message sent by police and posted on social media, AFP reported.

Iran's controversial morality police have a mandate to enter public areas to check on the implementation of the strict dress code. But amid the protests, women have been seen without a hijab.

In early December, Iran's prosecutor general Mohammad Jafar Montazeri had said that the morality police had been closed down while critics remained sceptical of his comments.