Morality police: how does it work and why was it ordered to be dismantled after protests in Iran?

After more than two months of protests in Iran over the death of the young Mahsa Amini who was in the custody of the authorities for allegedly violating the Islamic dress code, the country announced the abolition of the controversial morality police.

The announcement was provided by the attorney general from iran Mohammad Jafar Montazeri who declared the brigades that were in charge of complying with the strict dress code of the country as dissolved, according to the news agency ISNA.

“That Police has nothing to do with the Judiciary” Montazeri pointed out when making the announcement through the Iranian media, in what analysts consider a way of giving in to the popular demonstrations, led mostly by women, which have been taking place since September and which have left more than 300 people dead.

The Morale Police consists of a squad with an important presence in the daily life of Iran and its task is to implement the strict interpretations of Islamic morality.

This part of the mandatory veil law that the country has, which establishes since 1983 that both Iranian women like foreigners, regardless of their religion, have to veil their hair and wear loose clothing in public. And although from this time there was already control over the statute, it was not until the mandate of the ultra-conservative president Mahmud Ahmadinejad (from 2005 to 2013) that the Morale Police or Gasht-e Ershad was officially created.

Usually, work in teams of six people four are men and two women and They are located in crowded places such as shopping malls.; However, it is estimated that there are thousands of undercover people reporting to the Morale Police from different places.

Among the grounds for which a woman can be detained is the not carry the hijab or its misuse of this one by showing too much of her hair. Also short or tight clothing is prohibited the ‘excessive’ use of makeup wear very bright colors dresses that reveal the knees or ripped jeans.

Women are released only if they are “received” by a male relative. In some cases they can receive fines, flogging or even prison sentences.

The massive protests that shook Iran began with the death of Mahsa Amini a 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish girl, who on September 16, after having spent three days in the capital, Tehran, was detained by the Morality Police for apparently violating the dress code for women of the Islamic Republic , since he did not apply “the proper use of the veil”.

These demonstrations have set a precedent, since never in the history of the country has there been anything similar and especially for so long. In this way, It has been mainly adolescents and young women who came out to reject the mandatory use of the veil as well as calling for the end of the Islamic regime.

Iranian women displayed acts of civil disobedience, in which they removed their headscarves and burned them in public, cut their hair and walked in western clothing on the streets of their country.

For its part, the state indicated that the cause of death of the young woman was due to a medical condition prior to her arrest, a version that isHis family refused, stating that he was beaten during his detention.

These mobilizations have left more than 300 people dead, secured the commander of the Revolutionary Guard Aerospace Force The general Amir Ali Hayizadeh data that differs from that provided by Human Rights Activists organization that estimates that 451 protesters died due to strong police repression.

Opponents and human rights activists against the Islamic regime have received the news with skepticism, since the announcement has not yet been made official by the Ministry of the Interior nor has it been broadcast by the state channel.

We must not be fooled by the maneuvers used by the Islamic Republic in desperate times, as they could come back with other restrictive policies and measures,” said Iranian journalist and blogger, Omid Memarian.

To this is added that the announcement of the end of the Morality Police has included the use of the hijab, for which reason demonstrations have been called again. “It is true that one of the demands is the end of the compulsory veil. But the main demand is the abolition of the regime”, points out Nachmil Abdi 30-year-old Iranian woman who must wear her hair in a bun.

With information from the AFP news agency.

Source-larepublica.pe