Year's Ban For Actresses Who Remove Hijab Under New Law

Measures already in place to punish female artists and athletes will be worsened by the legislation now going through parliament, news daily Entekhab reports.

A government spokesperson said the bill proposed by the Judiciary regarding hijab was reviewed and approved by the government and sent to the legislature last week.

The penalty will be a ban from all cultural activities for at least three months and up to a maximum of a year.

Even when anonymous, women found to have transgressed rules over the removal of veil, nudity and wearing thin clothes can now be identified through smart technology.

Those found guilty will initially be warned and fined up to three times, and in case of repeating the crime for the fourth time, they will be referred to the judicial authority.

If the hijab is removed in a car, after two warnings and a fine, the vehicle will be stopped for seven days. Civil servants working at state organizations will be prosecuted through the supervisory mechanisms up to three times, and the hijab remover finally will be referred to the judicial authorities.

Four decades after the Islamic Republic forced women to wear headscarves, long tunics and trousers, or the long black veil called chador, women are increasingly appearing in public in regular clothing such as colorful dresses and with no headscarf covering their hair.

A survey carried out by the ministry of Islamic guidance in 2015 showed that more than 70 percent of Iranians did not agree with compulsory hijab.