VEILING LAWS AND AFFILIATED PROTESTS IN IRAN

Veiling laws in Iran are the obligation for women to wear hijabs or headscarves and are based on Muslim religious beliefs that women must cover their head to remain modest and submit themselves to God.1 The Quran is not explicit on the topic of hijabs or headscarves and, as a result, some followers interpret it as a personal preference and others interpret it as a requirement.2 Iran’s veiling laws have been the topic of great scrutiny due to a horrific event that occurred on September 13, 2022, where a young woman, Mahsa Amini, was accused by the police of improperly wearing a headscarf.3 This led to her being arrested and beaten so brutally that she slipped into a coma and died only a couple days later.4 Mahsa Amini’s death has led to protests around Iran.5 These protests have become increasingly violent and resulted in thousands of Iranian citizens being injured, imprisoned, and killed.6 Further, it led to Iran being removed from the United Nations (UN) Commission on the Status of Women.7 This article will discuss in further detail the history of the veiling laws from their implementation up to current events and the future implications of these laws.