Iran charges two actresses for not wearing Hijabs in pictures

Iranian authorities have charged two prominent actresses for posting their pictures on the social media without wearing the recommended Hijab which is an offence in the country.

Local media reported on Tuesday that the actresses, Katayoun Riahi and Pantea Bahram, were charged for flouting the country’s strict dress code for women, just a few weeks after announcing a crackdown on such breaches.

The code requires women to wear the headscarf in public and was imposed shortly after the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

Photos of Bahram, 53, went viral after she posed without a headscarf at a film screening, while Riahi, 61, also posted several photos taken in public places around Tehran in which she did not wear a headscarf.

Read also:Two Iranian women arrested after man attacked them with yoghurt for not wearing Hijabs

The charges against the actresses were referred by the police in Tehran to the country’s judiciary, accusing them of “the crime of removing the hijab in public and posting photos on the internet,” the media said, adding that if they are found guilty, they could face various prison terms or fines.

The police had earlier this month said they would begin using “smart” technology in public places to crack down on women defying Iran’s compulsory dress code.

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