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May 25, 2010It’s Cover Up, Turn the Volume Down, Or Pay Up in Iran
The public prosecutor, Mahmoud Zoqi, at the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad has decreed that women violating the state’s dress code must pay fines up to 1.3 million tomans (13 million rials) or $1,300 for each breach of conduct!
It’s a hefty increase from the earlier 50,000 tomans or $50 per incident.
Young men wearing slim-fit jeans and styling their hair are being arrested and fined too by the morals squads of the Iranian police.
As before, jail terms of up to 2 months can be applied as well.
Presumably the ordinance is aimed at pressuring parents, spouses and other family members who would have to raise the bail for arrested relatives in a country where per capita income was the equivalent of $11,200 in 2009.
Meanwhile at the capital city, Tehran, those driving (other than taxis) with members of the opposite sex who are not family members or who play music "too loud" face having their cars impounded and driver’s licenses confiscated.
The renewed crackdowns by Islamic Guidance Patrols reflect the theocratic regime’s growing fear of globalization generally and westernization specifically.
It’s also a draconian way to balance municipal budget shortfalls in Iran’s most populace cities.
Yet it isn’t stopping ordinary Iranians from doing as they please.
(AP Photo)
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