Asadollah Jafari, head of Isfahan's justice department: identification of unveiled women has begun

Asadollah Jafari, head of the Isfahan provincial justice department, announced on Sunday, 11 October 2026, that the identification of citizens who do not observe compulsory hijab has begun in the province and that they "must be held to account". According to Iran International, he used the label "body-flaunting and dissolute" to describe these citizens.

The head of Isfahan's justice department called hijab a religious ruling, a law and the will of the people, and said the judiciary is ready to enforce it and is enforcing it now. According to him, laws on "chastity and hijab" exist and the judiciary has no hesitation in enforcing them. Jafari also claimed that "some people" have crossed all red lines.

A new threat against women in Isfahan

The Isfahan justice chief's remarks contained no details about how people are identified, the number of people targeted or the punishments envisaged. Even so, the remarks show that the Islamic Republic's judiciary, in the midst of war, an economic crisis and a wave of executions of protesters, still counts dealing with women's dress among its priorities.

Isfahan province's judiciary has been at the centre of repression in recent months, including in the case of the execution of the Alikhani Square protesters in Isfahan, in which the defendants' lawyer has said the charge of murder never appeared in their sentence.

Women and compulsory hijab after the uprising

Since the "Woman, Life, Freedom" uprising of 2022, Iranian women in growing numbers have abandoned compulsory hijab in the streets, and the Islamic Republic's efforts to restore it — from security patrols to fines, the sealing of businesses and court cases — have so far failed to stop this civil disobedience.

The head of Isfahan's justice department announced the start of identifying women who have abandoned compulsory hijab.

Sources

• Iran International