(LibertySons.org) – Iran’s “morality police” recently stepped up enforcement of their women’s dress code in response to continued protests against the forced use of hijabs — head coverings that conceal the hair and only allow a view of a wearer’s face. One woman just received 74 lashes across the back of her body for refusing to cover up, sparking a new wave of outrage over the Islamic regime’s brutal treatment of women.
Euronews writes that Roya Heshmati, who is between 23 and 33 years old, received her horrific sentence on January 3. Morality police reportedly arrested her in April in response to an image the young woman shared of herself on social media, according to Daily Mail. The activist also received a fine and a prison sentence, the latter of which was dropped.
Heshmati allegedly shared the account of her lashings on Instagram, comparing the room where she received the lashes to a medieval torture chamber. She says she was brutally beaten with a leather whip across her legs, back, buttocks, waist, and shoulders — leaving her entire backside bruised — but when it was over, she still refused to wear a hijab. A female officer reportedly forced one onto her head, but Heshmati threw it aside when she reached the courthouse door.
The young activist reportedly deactivated her social media accounts in response to the widespread attention her story was generating. Heshmati stated that she didn’t want to be a public figure, but she was grateful for the outpouring of support she’d received over her harrowing ordeal.
The controversy over Islamic Sharia law controlling women’s freedom of dress hit a head in September 2022 after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was killed in police custody after being arrested for wearing skinny jeans and no head covering. Her death led to widespread protests and many women refusing to wear headcovers. Police went lax in their enforcement for a short while, only to snap back with a vengeance. Iran’s parliament is reportedly considering a bill that would impose even stiffer penalties against dress code violators.
~Here’s to Our Liberty!
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