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Iran has opened a new clinic aimed at ''treating'' women who resist wearing the hijab, a key symbol of the country’s strict dress code. The center, called the Clinic for Quitting Hijab Removal, is the latest move by the government to tackle the growing protests led by women who have been fighting against the mandatory hijab law, which has sparked national and global outrage.
The clinic will focus on what the authorities call “scientific and psychological treatment” for women, particularly young women and teenagers, who choose to defy the hijab requirement. The clinic's leader, Mehri Talebi Darestani, said its goal is to promote “dignity, modesty, chastity, and hijab,” adding that attending the clinic would be “optional.” However, the center is overseen by Iran’s Headquarters for Enjoining the Good and Forbidding the Evil, a government body responsible for enforcing the country's religious laws. This department has long been criticized for its harsh treatment of women who do not comply with the hijab rule.
The clinic’s opening comes amid ongoing protests that began after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after being arrested for allegedly not wearing her hijab properly. Since then, many women have openly protested, including some university students who have stripped down in public to demonstrate against the law. One such protestor, Ahou Daryaei, was arrested and sent to a psychiatric facility after she walked on campus in her underwear as an act of defiance.
In response, the Iranian government has increased efforts to suppress these protests through stronger surveillance, harsher policing, and punishments, including psychiatric treatments for women who appear to be defying the hijab law. Celebrities and activists who posted photos without their hijab have also faced forced visits to mental health clinics and other punishments like travel bans.
While the Iranian government claims these measures are for public health and safety, many human rights organizations, including the UN and Amnesty International, have condemned the government’s actions. The UN has called the crackdown “gender apartheid,” and human rights groups say these tactics are designed to break women’s resistance to the hijab laws by subjecting them to constant surveillance and mental distress.
As the protests continue, the government's new clinic for hijab “treatment” appears to be yet another method to intimidate and control women who demand more freedom. Despite this, many Iranian women continue to push back against the oppressive laws, finding new ways to protest and demand change.
Source: The Telegraph UK
