The UN has warned that Iranian authorities are using drones and facial recognition technology to punish women who refuse to follow the country’s hijab laws.
The UN Fact-Finding Mission on Iran found in a compelling report that the government is repressing dissent using a massive digital surveillance apparatus, specifically targeting women.
According to the report, Iran is increasingly deploying technology to track and punish women who don’t follow the clothing code. The government-backed “Nazer” smartphone app, which enables both people and law enforcement to report women for suspected infractions, is a crucial component of this drive.
The report explains that the “Nazer” mobile app allows users to upload a vehicle’s license plate, location, and time when they spot a woman not wearing a hijab. The app then “flags” the vehicle online, alerting the police.
Authorities has deployed aerial drones in the capital ‘Tehran’ and ‘Southern Iran.’
The findings reveal a troubling trend of “state-sponsored vigilantism,” where both the public and security personnel are urged to report those breaking the law. This has led to arrests, car seizures, and even physical punishment.
Iranian authorities are using drones to monitor women’s adherence to hijab regulations, particularly in public areas like Tehran and the southern regions, according to the report. To follow female students, they have even placed facial recognition software at the entrance of Tehran’s Amirkabir University.
The UN concluded last year that the Iranian government caused the “physical violence” leading to Mahsa Amini’s death in jail in 2022.
Although officials denied mistreating the 22-year-old Kurdish lady and blamed her death on “sudden heart failure,” witnesses said that the morality police had severely battered her during her arrest.
Punishment for not following the mandatory “hijab” law
The government suspended the draft law, “Hijab and Chastity,” in December 2024 after some internal debate, but it still threatens women and girls in Iran.
If passed, this law could result in severe punishments, including up to 10 years in prison and fines as high as $12,000 for women who don’t comply with the hijab rules. Additionally, under Article 286 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code, women could even face the death penalty if accused of “corruption on earth,” a charge that carries extreme consequences.
The law will boost the use of technology and monitoring to monitor compliance and give Iran’s security services additional authority to enforce the hijab regulations. This implies that the government would have even more resources at its disposal to keep an eye on and punish law-breaking women.
This law, which uses cutting-edge technology to enforce the regulations, essentially increases the penalties for not wearing a hijab and gives the government more authority over women’s private lives.
What is the essence of hijab in the Islamic community?
In Iran and Islamic cultures, the hijab is more than just a garment; it is ingrained in social, religious, and cultural ideals. In Islam, many regard the hijab as a representation of moral rectitude, modesty, and privacy. Many women make their own decisions based on religious standards of modesty found in the Quran and Hadith.
The headscarf symbolizes a woman’s dedication to her religion and her observance of the modesty standards that Islam promotes.
But in Iran, the hijab is a government-enforced requirement rather than merely a matter of personal or religious preference. Iran has mandated that women wear the hijab in public since the Islamic Revolution of 1979 because it views it as a sign of their commitment to Islamic values and a means of shielding them from social exploitation and objectification.
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