By Samantha Kamman
The Iranian morality police shot a woman visiting her parents’ graves after she refused to wear a traditional head covering, according to a report that authorities in Iran are once again brutally enforcing strict dress codes for women.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, an Iranian refugee still in contact with civilians in the country told NewsNation that Iran’s morality police system is back in effect and once again arresting women for not wearing a hijab.
“A few days ago, the police shot a woman dead at her relative’s grave as she had no scarf on her head and refused to cover her head,” the refugee said.
Mojgan Hassanpour, a 46-year-old woman from Lahijan, visited the cemetery of Agha Seyyed Morteza on the evening of May 21, Live Iran News shared on its Instagram. Additional reports claimed that the woman’s 7-year-old nephew was with her when armed Basij terrorists ordered her to “wear a veil.”
The Basij are a volunteer militia operating under the direction of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Iran. The Islamic Republic’s morality police, known as Gasht-e Ershad or “Guidance Patrol,” is part of the country’s law enforcement and enforces respect for Islamic morals as described by clerical authorities.
The Basij are involved in suppressing protests and enforcing the public modesty laws that require women to wear a hijab.
When the militia members demanded that Hassanpour conceal her hair, she reportedly replied, “What does my cover have to do with you?”
One of the militia members pulled out a gun, but when it jammed, Hassanpour’s killer then left, returning moments later to fire multiple shots at her at “close range.” Hassanpour had previously been arrested for participating in protests, according to the report.
“They asked her to cover her head. She refused, and they shot her. No warnings. There’s never a warning before they kill people,” the unnamed Iranian refugee told NewsNation.
“If a woman’s hair is not fully covered, they arrest her, and send her to prison, fine her, or force her to attend many hours of religious classes; they keep women in detention, and they sexually assault them.”
In 2022, protests rocked dozens of Iranian cities following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was arrested by the morality police for not properly wearing a hijab. Amini was interrogated at the Vozara detention center following her arrest, and she reportedly suffered multiple blows to the head while under interrogation.
The Iranian regime paused the morality police’s patrols in 2022 following the protests and international public outcry sparked by Amini’s death. The regime responded to the protests in Iran with lethal force and mass arrests.
In July 2023, the morality police formally returned to patrolling the streets and enforcing the requirement that women cover their heads in public.
The return of Iran’s morality police could be a sign that the regime is trying to crush the possibility of a civilian uprising, Retired Lt. Col. Mike Nelson told NewsNation. He also noted that the Basij are notorious for their harsh treatment of women.
“The fact that they are returning to ‘business as usual,’ if not even escalating their responses to Iranian citizens testing the limits, suggests the Regime is both taking the time afforded by the ceasefire since April 8 to re-establish control without fear of outside interference and is making sure post-conflict Iran is one in which internal threats to regime survival are stamped out,” Nelson said.
Amid the anti-government protests in Iran that began in December and continued into January and February, the U.S. State Department expressed concern about the use of violent force against peaceful demonstrators.
In December, the department shared a video on its Farsi-language account on X that featured clips of security forces and protesters marching and chanting in the streets.
“We are deeply concerned by reports and videos showing that peaceful protesters in Iran are facing intimidation, violence, and arrests,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement. “Demanding basic rights is not a crime. The Islamic Republic regime must respect the rights of the Iranian people and end the crackdown.”
The protests in Iran at the time began after the depreciation of the country’s national currency and soaring inflation. The demonstrations, which began in Tehran, spread to university campuses and led traders to shut down their stores.
