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| Sina Yousefi, Human Rights Lawyer |
In an interview with Voice of America, lawyer Sina Yousefi discussed the court cases of political activists currently detained in Tabriz, the legislative process of the Islamic Republic of Iran's "Hijab and Chastity" project, and the pressures women face regarding the hijab issue.
Sina Yousefi stated that the cases of political activists detained in Tabriz for weeks have not yet been officially handed over to the judiciary.
He also pointed out that the Islamic Republic is not even adhering to its own laws by first detaining activists and then searching for evidence:
“It seems that the Islamic Republic does not follow its own laws. Its laws say that evidence must be obtained before detaining someone. However, they detain them first and then search for evidence. This means they interrogate them for a long time to obtain evidence. Now, they are at the stage of looking for evidence. Therefore, it can be said that this case has not yet officially passed into the judicial system. As a result, no lawyer can enter this case to defend the activists. Recently, the families were told that the activists would remain under detention because they are not talking—meaning they are not confessing.”
Recently, Iran's Guardian Council sent the "Hijab and Chastity" law, previously passed in the Iranian Parliament, back to the legislature with a request for amendments to certain provisions.
According to Sina Yousefi, the Guardian Council’s objection to the law in Parliament is not about its substance but its form. Yousefi stated that the amendments requested by the council will soon be implemented, and the law will be enforced.
“Previously, the punishments related to the hijab were part of various projects and had no legal basis... for example, joint projects based on hijab regulations between the judicial system or a regional prosecutor's office and the police. These were not in the form of law. Now, with this becoming a law, the pressures will be more systematic and stricter. For instance, the law did not include deprivation of public rights due to the hijab issue. Now, they are making it a law,” the lawyer commented on the legislative process of the current "Hijab and Chastity" project.
The human rights lawyer also highlighted that the new law imposes severe prison sentences and fines on those who do not comply with the hijab and other Sharia laws.
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Sina Yusufi: 'Hicab və İffət' qanununda hicaba riayət etməyənlərə ağır həbs və cərimə cəzaları nəzərdə tutulub