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Geneva: A draft legislation in Iran ordering new penalties for girls not carrying a scarf in public might quantity to “gender apartheid,” UN rights consultants warned Friday.
For the reason that Islamic revolution of 1979, girls in Iran need to cowl their hair and neck in public, with offenders dealing with fines or jail phrases of as much as two months.
A rising variety of girls have been defying the legislation and showing bareheaded, particularly since nationwide protests sparked by the loss of life in custody final 12 months of 22-year-old Iranian Kurd Mahsa Amini, arrested for allegedly violating the legislation.
Iran’s conservatives, who dominate the nation’s parliament and management, have passionately defended the costume code.
In Might, the judiciary and the federal government proposed a “Help for the Tradition of Hijab and Chastity” invoice, urging far stiffer penalties for non-compliance.
It raises fines and contains different penalities such because the momentary confiscation of a girl’s car.
“The draft legislation might be described as a type of gender apartheid,” eight UN rights consultants mentioned in an announcement.
“The authorities seem like governing by means of systemic discrimination with the intention of suppressing girls and ladies into complete submission.”
The consultants, together with the Particular Rapporteur on the rights state of affairs in Iran and members of the UN Working Group on discrimination towards girls and ladies, mentioned the draft invoice and present de facto restrictions “are inherently discriminatory and should quantity to gender persecution”.
The unbiased consultants, who’re appointed by the UN Human Rights Council however who don’t converse on behalf of the United Nations, warned that the extreme punishments known as for by the invoice “could result in its violent enforcement.”
“The invoice additionally violates elementary rights, together with the suitable to participate in cultural life, the prohibition of gender discrimination, freedom of opinion and expression, the suitable to peaceable protest, and the suitable to entry social, instructional, and well being companies, and freedom of motion,” they mentioned.
The consultants slammed the usage of phrases like “nudity” and “lack of chastity” within the invoice, which they mentioned sought to authorise public establishments to disclaim important companies and alternatives to girls and ladies with no scarf.
“The weaponisation of ‘public morals’ to disclaim girls and ladies their freedom of expression is deeply disempowering and can entrench and increase gender discrimination and marginalisation,” they mentioned, warning of “wider damaging penalties for kids and society as a complete”.
“We urge authorities to rethink the obligatory hijab laws in compliance with worldwide human rights legislation, and to make sure the complete enjoyment of human rights for all girls and ladies in Iran,” the consultants mentioned.
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