Courts in Iran have reportedly sentenced many girls and women to 20 years in prison for violating the hijab law.
Meanwhile, Minou Aslani, the head of the Organization of Women’s Basij Community, said: “No individual, group or organization condones violence in cultural matters. However, the hijab is a social issue.”
Speaking at a conference marking the “Hijab and Chastity Week,” Mrs. Aslani explained: “The hijab is not simply mandatory in our country. It is the law.”
Aslani added: “I don’t condone violence, but our law enforcement forces must deal with those who break the law.” She urged the public to uphold the law, and warned that those who oppose the mandatory hijab “are part of an organized movement which receives U.S. dollars.”
According to Aslani, the West and Hollywood have been campaigning against the hijab for the past 100 years. She noted: “They are trying to degrade the hijab by claiming that it rejects progressive values.”
The Hijab and Chastity Week is running between July 10 and 17 in 31 provinces. There are five scheduled events: “Self Respect and Citizens’ Rights,” “Family Peace and Stability,” “Islamic Identity,” “The Great Jihad and the Legacy of Martyrs,” and “Islamic Civilization and Global Requirements.”
Amin Keshvari, an active figure on the Iranian cultural scene, said: “The hijab law is good, but it is not always enforced sensitively. On some occasions, it is executed without taking into account various age groups. We must remember that opposing the hijab is not the same thing as refuting religion, but rather a matter of questioning how it is interpreted.”
[Translated from Persian by Fardine Hamidi]
