However, that approach appears to be gradually shifting now.
For the past few months, police have been employing surveillance cameras to identify hijab violators. They are given warnings, fines or sent to appear in court. People found to be in violation of the dress code while in their vehicles could have their cars impounded.
Businesses have also been increasingly targeted, with many cafes, restaurants and even sprawling shopping centres facing closures for offering services to women with loose hijabs.
There were several high-profile, hijab-related incidents this week, as per Al Jazeera.
The authorities released a video that showed a group of police officers – accompanied by a camera crew – going around and telling women of all ages to fix their hijab. The camera zooms in on the women’s unblurred faces and shows an animation indicating they have been identified and referred to the judiciary.
“Either you fix your hijab or you enter the van,” a man, whose voice has been digitally distorted, tells a young woman in the video. “If you believe in freedom, I will leave all the thieves and rapists free to let you know how things work,” Al Jazeera reported.
Another incident took place on Sunday when actor Mohamad Sadeghi was arrested. He had released a reaction video online a day earlier, in which he responds to another clip that showed a female officer holding a woman against the wall over her wearing of the hijab.
“If I see a scene like this in person I might commit murder. Watch out, you better believe the people will kill you,” he had said, prompting his arrest for “threatening the police” for doing its job, Al Jazeera reported citing the state media.
Earlier this week, actress Azadeh Samadi was sentenced to a six-month ban on using social media and her mobile phone in addition to mandated therapy to cure her of an “anti-social personality sickness” by a court.
This came after she participated in the funeral of a theatre director without a headscarf in May.
Samadi joined a group of actresses who have been summoned or received sentences in recent months for ditching their headscarves publicly or online.
Meanwhile, the government and the parliament have been working on legislation aimed at bolstering hijab controls, but the bill has come under fire from conservative opponents who argue it is too lenient, Al Jazeera reported.
Source- Hindustan Times.