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Iranian police to enforce strict hijab laws with surveillance cameras

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei this week blamed increased public resistance to the country's hijab laws on "enemy spy agencies." File Photo by EPA-EFE
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei this week blamed increased public resistance to the country's hijab laws on "enemy spy agencies." File Photo by EPA-EFE

April 8 (UPI) -- The Iranian state will begin installing surveillance systems to catch women who violate the country's strict hijab laws, semi-official local media reported Saturday.

The pro-government Tasnim news agency said police are unveiling "an innovative measure" to "prevent tension and conflicts" surrounding the hijab law by using smart cameras in public places "to identify people who break the norms," according to a CNN translation.

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People found violating the dress code will be sent warning messages by authorities, the report said.

The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September after her detention for violating religious dress regulations sparked nationwide protests against the religious restrictions.

The United Nations estimates that hundreds of people have been killed in the government's subsequent crackdown against the protestors.

Last week, the Iranian Interior Ministry doubled down on its defense of the religious laws, saying the veil is "one of the civilizational foundations of the Iranian nation."

The move comes after a video circulated online purportedly showing an Iranian man throwing yogurt on two women who weren't veiled. The women were subsequently arrested by Iranian security forces.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei demanded adherence to the hijab law on Tuesday, claiming the public's increased resistance to the draconian measures are the result of actions by "enemy spy agencies."

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