Hassan Rouhani, the former President of Iran, has voiced criticism against the reinstatement of morality police and the implementation of the Noor plan by law enforcement authorities as hijab crackdowns deepen.
In a meeting with officials from his administration this week, Rouhani questioned, "Is this really how the police are supposed to enforce moral codes, have they been trained for it?"
Since April 13, the initiation of Noor plan has led to numerous reported incidents of violent interactions between law enforcement and plainclothes officers with women opposing the mandatory hijab. The actions are justified by the Islamic Republic as "enjoining good and forbidding wrong," and compliance with the "hijab law."
During his talk, Rouhani emphasized the importance of maintaining "people's dignity and respect," and reflected on the Islamic Revolution, questioning whether force was used to make people wear hijabs. He asserted that many women chose to wear hijabs voluntarily after the revolution.
The severity of the police's approach has sparked dissent even among some supporters of the Islamic Republic.
On Saturday, 61 attorneys issued a statement criticizing illegal elements of the Noor plan declaring that the government has no right to impose its own dress code and ideology on women and society.
Female reformist activists inside Iran also condemned the "insulting behavior" of law enforcement towards women who oppose the mandatory hijab, warning that women will not cease to fight the oppressive measures.
