Iran’s morality police, which impose the nation’s Islamic dress code, is being disbanded, said Iran’s attorney general.
Attorney general Mohammad Jafar Montazeri’s statement, which is yet to be confirmed, was made during an event on Sunday.
Protests have been making headlines in Iran for months now over the police detention of a woman named Mahsa Amini who was taken into custody by the moral police for reportedly breaching the dress code by not properly covering her head.
Montazeri was asked about whether the morality police is being disbanded during
a religious conference. He replied, “the morality police had nothing to do with the judiciary and have been shut down from where they were set up.” He further explained that the police’s control is held by the interior ministry and not by the judiciary.
Montazeri also informed the Iranian parliament on Saturday that the law requiring women to wear hijabs would be reviewed.
It’s not clear if the age-old law mandating hijab would repeal even if the morality police ceased to function. The protests, majorly led by women, have been termed “riots” and have been continuing since Amini died in police custody three days after being arrested on 16 September.
Her death initiated the protests that have since voiced dissatisfaction over other issues like poverty, unemployment, inequality, injustice and corruption.
If finalized, the shutdown of the morality police would have some impact on lessening the protests, but it definitely not assures a total end to the protests which witnessed the burning of the head coverings by the protestors.
An Iranian speaking with BBC in its World Service’s Newshour program said, “Just because the government has decided to dismantle morality police it doesn’t mean the protests are ending.”
