Iran's new hijab law may carry risk of death penalty

Iran’s new chastity and hijab law has drawn criticism from journalists and activists who warn it represents a new weapon in the state's arsenal against women which could authorize extreme punishments including the death penalty and flogging.

The new Hijab and Chastity law, approved by parliament in September 2023 and finalized by the Guardian Council in September 2024, enforces compulsory hijab with harsher penalties, including hefty fines, longer prison sentences, and restrictions on employment and education.

One grants the judiciary authority to issue death sentences to individuals accused of promoting nudity, unveiling, or improper attire in collaboration with foreign entities, classifying such acts as "corruption on earth".

Article 286 of the Islamic Penal Code defines "spreading corruption on earth", which is punishable by death. If authorities interpret a hijab violation as falling under this article, it could lead to a death sentence.

The other provision ensures that flogging remains a punishment for non-compliance with hijab regulations—targeting women, trans individuals, and non-binary people.

Iran's Guardian Council approved the controversial hijab law in mid-September, typically requiring the president to formally communicate such laws to government agencies for implementation within days. However, President Masoud Pezeshkian has yet to take this step. The law is now set to be referred to him on December 13, giving him five days to sign and implement it.

With this the law's future remains uncertain, as critics both within and outside Iran continue to raise alarm over its potential consequences and call for action opposing it.