Zamaneh Media
  • Latest Articles
  • Latest News
  • About Zamaneh Media
    • Exiled Media Report
    • Sponsors
    • Donate
    • Contact us
    • Legal
  • Advertise
No Result
View All Result
  • Latest Articles
  • Latest News
  • About Zamaneh Media
    • Exiled Media Report
    • Sponsors
    • Donate
    • Contact us
    • Legal
  • Advertise
No Result
View All Result
Zamaneh Media
No Result
View All Result

Rohani reacts to prospect of undercover morality police

by Zamaneh Media
April 29, 2016
in Latest Articles
Reading Time: 2min read
0
Public demand cited as reason for undercover morality policing

The Rohani administration has reacted to the announcement that the police department plans to deploy secret police to monitor the public’s social behaviour. On his trip to Semnan, when asked about the 7,000 undercover morality police personnel being deployed, he said the executive branch was not involved in implementing the plan.

Morlaity police

Rohani went on to say that his government is committed to its campaign promises to provide social security for the public and will use all its power to keep those promises. He raised the importance of human dignity, saying: “God has blessed human beings with dignity, and this dignity precedes religious beliefs. The dignity of our people must be protected; we have righteous and responsible people.”

He went on to add that what people wear and how they behave in society are cultural issues and he stressed that cultural matters are best addressed through cultural initiatives.

On Monday April 18, the Tehran police chief announced that his department has deployed 7,000 “undetectable security personnel” in the capital alone to enforce the “plan for moral security”. Chief Hossein Sajedinia said these officers are under orders to confront “hijab (Islamic dress code) violations, noise pollution, harassment and any lack of hijab in vehicles”. He added that these officers are both male and female and are not uniformed in order to avoid easy detection. He added that these officers will be deployed in various parts of the city to inform the police of such violations.

In his campaign speeches, Rohani expressed serious reservations about the actions of the morality police in Iran. The morality police often detain and at times arrest women for hijab violations and similarly confront young men and women about their choice of music in their cars or their behaviour. Rohani promised that his government would provide a feeling of security to the public, saying: “Our women are responsible for their own hijab and modesty.”

Shahindokht Molaverdi, Rohani’s advisor on women and family affairs, was previously quoted as saying that 27 government bodies were charged with implementing “the legislation to promote hijab and modesty” including the police. The police should have been the last resort, according to Molaverdi, but due to a lack of initiative from other officials, the police have taken the lead. She stressed that the administration is bent on keeping the hijab issue in the cultural arena and prevent it from becoming a security issue.

Shahindokht Molaverdi
Shahindokht Molaverdi

Despite these statements from the administration, the morality police remain highly active on the streets of Iran, consistently harassing Iranians for their appearance and behaviour in the public.
The police department has defended its plan to deploy undercover officers by saying there is demand for greater monitoring of hijab in public. It added that the deployed personnel will inform police officers of violations and stressed that these undercover agents all carry the necessary identification, despite being in plainclothes.

Tehran MP Laleh Eftekhari supported the police initiative, saying the undercover element will provide greater deterrence.

The Rohani administration’s attempts to provide greater civil liberties to the public have been generally met with a backlash from the far right with calls for a crackdown on the public.

Tags: morality policeundercover policing
Previous Post

Voting begins in second round of elections

Next Post

Ministry rejects accusation of election meddling

Related Posts

Encyclopaedia Iranica: a Dossier
Latest Articles

Encyclopaedia Iranica: a Dossier

February 28, 2021
Veiled Identity
Latest Articles

Veiled Identity

February 22, 2021
Untold Stories from Encyclopaedia Iranica: Interview with Abbas Amanat
Latest Articles

Untold Stories from Encyclopaedia Iranica: Interview with Abbas Amanat

February 11, 2021
November 2019: Which security and militia institutions started violence and shot people?
Latest Articles

November 2019: Which security and militia institutions started violence and shot people?

January 8, 2021
Encyclopedia Iranica “A real tour de force” is in Peril
Latest Articles

Encyclopedia Iranica “A real tour de force” is in Peril

December 24, 2020
The US Election and the Iranians’ Views: a Reflection of the Hatred for the IRI
Latest Articles

The US Election and the Iranians’ Views: a Reflection of the Hatred for the IRI

November 3, 2020

RSS Iran in other media

  • Iranian forces killed or wounded 16 Kurdish border couriers in February: Rights group - Kurdistan24
  • Arab ministers consider ways to tackle Iran's interference in region - Arab News
  • UAE chairs meeting on Iran meddling in Arab affairs - Gulf News
  • Senators grill Biden nominee as proxy for wider Iran-deal debate - The Washington Post
  • Mediterranean oil spill is ‘eco-terrorism’ by Iran, Israel says - The Jerusalem Post
  • Roundup: Iraq reports highest daily COVID-19 cases as Iran calls for avoiding travelling during New Year holiday - Xinhua | English.news.cn - Xinhua
  • Iran taps old clients in Asia in hopes of US sanctions lifting - Aljazeera.com
  • Iranian health minister calls for refraining from travelling during Iranian New Year holiday - Xinhua | English.news.cn - Xinhua
  • Israeli minister accuses Iran of link to oil spill off its shores - Region - World - Ahram Online
  • Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's imprisonment in Iran a 'blot on British diplomacy' - Mirror Online
Zamaneh Media

© 2020 Zamaneh Media

More information

  • Sponsors
  • Donate
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Legal

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Latest Articles
  • Latest News
  • About Zamaneh Media
    • Exiled Media Report
    • Sponsors
    • Donate
    • Contact us
    • Legal
  • Advertise

© 2020 Zamaneh Media