TEHRAN: Iranian lawmakers passed a bill on Wednesday to toughen penalties for women who flout the Islamic dress code, with jail terms of up to 10 years, state media reported.
The assembly approved “the ‘Support for the Culture of Hijab and Chastity’ bill for a trial period of three years,” the official IRNA news agency reported.
The bill still requires approval by the Guardian Council.
Women in Iran have since last year’s mass protests been increasingly flouting the Islamic republic’s strict dress code that requires head coverings and modest clothes.
The demonstrations broke out after the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who had been arrested for allegedly breaching the dress code.
Hundreds of people were killed, including dozens of security personnel, and thousands arrested over what officials labelled foreign-instigated “riots.”
Under the draft law, women failing to wear a headscarf or appropriate clothing, “in cooperation with foreign or hostile governments, media, groups or organizations,” could face five to 10 years’ prison.
Covering the head and neck has been compulsory for women in Iran since the republic’s early years following the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Authorities and police patrols have in recent months stepped up measures against women and businesses who fail to observe the dress code.
Businesses have been closed over non-compliance and surveillance cameras have been installed in public places to monitor violations.
Iran MPs vote to toughen penalties for women flouting dress code
https://arab.news/8nysm
Iran MPs vote to toughen penalties for women flouting dress code
- ‘Support for the Culture of Hijab and Chastity’ bill approved for a trial period of three years
- The bill still requires approval by the Guardian Council
Russian forces begin pulling out of bases in northeast Syria
- Despite having been on opposite sides of the battle lines during the civil war, the new rulers in Damascus have taken a pragmatic approach to relations with Moscow
QAMISHLI, Syria: Russian forces have begun pulling out of positions in northeast Syria in an area still controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces after the group lost most of its territory in an offensive by government forces.
Associated Press journalists visited one base next to the Qamishli airport Tuesday and found it guarded by SDF fighters who said the Russians had begun moving their equipment out in recent days.
Inside what had been living quarters for the soldiers was largely empty, with scattered items left behind, including workout equipment, protein powder and some clothing.
Ahmed Ali, an SDF fighter deployed at the facility, said the Russian forces began evacuating their positions around the airport five or six days ago, withdrawing their equipment via a cargo plane.
“We don’t know if its destination was Russia or the Hmeimim air base,” he said, referring to the main Russian base on Syria’s coast. “They still have a presence in Qamishli and have been evacuating bit by bit.”
A UN humanitarian convoy from Damascus reached Qamishli on Tuesday, UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said.
“It delivered food, warm clothes and blankets, among other supplies,” he told UN reporters. “More convoys are planned in the coming days.”
Dujarric said the UN is also continuing to distribute food, bread and cash elsewhere including displacement sites.
There has been no official statement from Russia about the withdrawal of its forces from Qamishli.
Russia has built relations with the new central Syrian government in Damascus since former President Bashar Assad was ousted in December 2024 in a rebel offensive led by now-interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa — despite the fact that Moscow was a close ally of Assad.
Moscow’s scorched-earth intervention in support of Assad a decade ago turned the tide of Syria’s civil war at the time, keeping Assad in his seat. Russia didn’t try to counter the rebel offensive in late 2024 but gave asylum to Assad after he fled the country.
Despite having been on opposite sides of the battle lines during the civil war, the new rulers in Damascus have taken a pragmatic approach to relations with Moscow. Russia has retained a presence at its air and naval bases on the Syrian coast.
Al-Sharaa is expected to visit Moscow on Wednesday and meet with Putin.
Fighting broke out early this month between the SDF and government forces after negotiations over a deal to merge their forces together broke down. A ceasefire is now in place and has been largely holding.
After the expiration of a four-day truce Saturday, the two sides announced the ceasefire had been extended by another 15 days.
Syria’s defense ministry said in a statement that the extension was in support of an operation by US forces to transfer accused Daesh militants who had been held in prisons in northeastern Syria to detention centers in Iraq.
