Gholam‑Hossein Mohseni‑Ejei, head of Iran's judiciary, has warned that authorities may use "police, intelligence and judicial measures" against women who defy the country's compulsory headscarf rules. He raised the issue at a Supreme Judicial Council meeting in Tehran, calling it a judicial priority. The remarks come amid growing public resistance and the 2022 "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests, which were violently suppressed.
Iran Judiciary Chief Threatens Crackdown on Women Defying Mandatory Headscarf
FILE PHOTO - Neda Khani sits on her scooter in Tehran. (is associated with: «Iranian judicial chief ups pressure on women not wearing headscarves») Arne Immanuel Bänsch/dpa
The head of Iran's judiciary, Gholam‑Hossein Mohseni‑Ejei, has renewed a forceful warning to women who openly flout the country's compulsory headscarf rules, saying authorities may deploy "police, intelligence and judicial measures," according to video footage published by the Mizan News Agency.
Judicial Priority and Enforcement
Speaking at a Monday session of the Supreme Judicial Council in Tehran, Mohseni‑Ejei urged colleagues to treat the issue as a priority for the judicial system. Addressing council members, he said:
"This state of nakedness is not tolerable."
The judiciary chief added that, if necessary, security and legal steps would be taken and that public resistance should not deter enforcement. His remarks specifically targeted women in Iran's major cities who openly defy strict Islamic dress codes.
Context: Protests and Rights Concerns
Public opposition to Iran's mandatory dress code has grown in recent years, culminating in large 2022 demonstrations under the slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom". Those protests were met with a violent crackdown, and human rights groups have repeatedly criticized the government's heavy-handed response.
Mohseni‑Ejei's renewed warning comes amid continued acts of civil disobedience by Iranian women and sustained international scrutiny of Iran's enforcement of gender-based laws.
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