'I'm a Woman. I Stand by My Beliefs': Iranian Women Continue to Defy Clerical Establishment

A video of a young woman protesting a cleric in a clinic in central Qom has recently sparked widespread debate on social media around newer tactics to enforce Iran's mandatory Hijab law.

In the video, the woman, seated in the corner of the Quran and Etrat Clinic in Qom, holds a child in her arms with her shawl draped around her neck. 

A cleric is seen taking a picture of her, prompting her to protest and demand that he remove the captured image.

The incident highlights the ongoing tensions between the government's ideological supporters and citizens who oppose the mandatory hijab in Iran. 

Those who resist the hijab mandate, predominantly women, face not only legal challenges stemming from Sharia law but also extralegal violations of their civil rights. 

The incident between the woman and the cleric is part of a pattern where individuals masquerading as clergy supporters infringe upon the rights of others. Instead of being scrutinized, such individuals are often appeased. 

On the other hand, reports suggest a case has been filed against the woman who protested at the Qom clinic.

Muslim Moien, the head of the Basij Cyberspace Organization, shared a post on his user account X, formerly Twitter, alleging that "both the young cleric and the woman who confronted him at the Qom hospital, two days later, reconciled and apologized." 

Iranian women who refuse to wear a head covering have been arrested and prosecuted amid a wave of protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022 in police custody. She was detained by the morality police for allegedly wearing her headscarf "improperly."

Here are some examples of how authorities deal with protesting women instead of addressing civil rights violators.

June 2022, Tehran, on a Bus

In June 2022, in Tehran, aboard a bus, an incident unfolded that captured the attention of social media. 

It was just two months before Mahsa Amini's death. A photo emerged showing a young woman engaged in a confrontation with a woman referred to as a "virtue promoter" on a bus.

The incident gained notoriety as the virtue promoter protested the young woman's decision to remove her headscarf publicly. 

She boldly threatened to escalate the matter by involving the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) by sending them a picture of the woman without the headscarf. This caused a stir among bystanders.

Soon after, the public learned the identity of the courageous young woman standing against mandatory hijab: Sepideh Rashno.

A 28-year-old painting student, writer, poet, and artist living alone in the capital city of Tehran, she became a symbol of resistance.

As citizens anxiously followed developments surrounding Rashno, state media released a video purportedly showing her "reconciliation" with the woman supporting mandatory hijab. 

In the video, Rashno, though her image was blurred, denied the altercation on the bus, dismissing it as false.

Despite her efforts to defend her actions, Rashno faced repercussions. 

After a prolonged detention and release on bail, she was ultimately sentenced to three years and eleven months in prison.

July 2022, Nowshahr, at a Grocery Store

On July 28, 2022, the Fars news agency released a video featuring seemingly coerced confessions of two young women. 

Previously shared videos on social media had shown them protesting against a cleric's warning about hijab.

In the Fars video, the women sitting in front of the camera said they were "deceived by Masih Alinejad," referring to a US-based activist. 

One of the women in the video attributed the dissemination of their verbal altercation with the cleric to Masih Alinejad and issued an apology for the "unintended offense directed towards cleric's remarks."

Subsequently, the identity of one of the women was confirmed through credible sources – Elham Farshad, a 29-year-old accountant.

Farshad was apprehended on July 12, 2022, from her home in Tehran and subsequently transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence's detention center at Ward 209 of Evin prison.

Ten days later, reports emerged of Farshad's release on bail. However, a year later, she was sentenced to three years and eight months in prison by Branch 102 of the Nowshahr Criminal Court.

July 2023, Tehran, on a Street

A woman clad in white clothes, who defiantly proclaimed, "Don't make me afraid of anything, I'm a woman, I stand by my beliefs...," remains vividly etched in the memory of social media users.

Her name is Parmida Shahbazi. 

The impactful video was circulated through Telegram channels affiliated with the supporters of the Islamic Republic. 

On July 20, 2023, at 10:48 p.m., the Fars news agency, associated with the IRGC, reported Shahbazi's arrest. 

The news piece included a video showcasing Shahbazi's coerced confession and subsequent apology. 

In the video, her face is entirely blurred, and even the initial letters of her name are omitted.

Instead, she is referred to as "a woman who breaks sanctity in front of the procession of Imam Hossein Karaj." 

August 2023, Tehran, Azadi Town

Azadeh Abedini, a vocal opponent of mandatory hijab living in the Ekbatan town of the capital, is among those who courageously challenged authorities and raised their voices. 

Previously documented by IranWire in a detailed report, Abedini faced harassment from a well-known official.

On August 14, 2023, Abedini visited Azadi town to go shopping. During this outing, a person named Reza Safdari, a member of the Basij paramilitary force living in the neighborhood in the west of Tehran, confiscated her mobile phone and filmed her without her consent. 

Despite this intrusion, Abedini, donning optional clothing and no headscarf, spoke out against embezzlement, corruption, and the hardships faced by the Iranian people. 

When Safdari attempted to film her car's license plate to facilitate identification, she defiantly opened her arms and challenged, "Come on, film some more."

Simultaneously, an informed source told IranWire that Abedini was identified by security forces two days after the video recording and abducted from the street. 

One source confirmed that security personnel waited for her to leave her house before intercepting her car on the street, indicating a premeditated plan. "She was about to leave the house, it suggests they were likely waiting for her to depart from the safety of her home before intercepting her and making an arrest," the source said.

Concerns over rights violations have been raised by many legal experts, who argue that photographing citizens without hijab by government institutions and supporters is illegal. 

The filming of citizens by intelligence and security agencies under the guise of enforcing hijab laws is seen as part of a broader pattern of restrictive measures targeting individual liberties and has prompted calls for judicial intervention.