Iranian Parliament Proposed New 'Chastity And Hijab Bill' Against Those Who Defy The Hijab Law. (image @ pixabay)

Iran has decided to impose heavier penalty on women who refuses to wear the hijab in public space and those who support to defy the mandatory headscarf.

The new bill is called Chastity and Hijab Bill. It will be implemented on a trial basis of three years. Those who defy the Hijab law will get charged with imprisonment up to ten years and fine from 180 to 360 million Rials. With the current law, those refuse to abide the hijab rule risks a prison term of two months and ten days or fine ranging from 5,000 to 500,000 Rials.

The bill stretches the punishment to business owners and activists who serve women not wearing hijabs and organises such situations. Social networks and medias will also get punishment for “making fun of the hijab” and “promoting nudity”. The new Chastity and Hijab bill will also fine owners of the vehicles who have female passenger or driver without proper head scarf and clothing.

Out of 290 seat in the Iranian Parliament, 152 lawmakers vote for the new bill. In the beginning, the lawmakers opted the trial period to be five years but later on agreed for three years after which the law would become permanent.

The move to pass new bill came days after the anniversary of Mahsa Amini”s custodial death. The 22 year old Mahsa Amini was detained by Iranian moral police for defying the hijab laws and later was reported dead while she was under the custody. Her death kindled raging anti-hijab protest across the country. In the year long protest nearly 500 were killed and 22,000 detained.

The protesters called to overthrow Iran”s theocracy. The protests were cracked down earlier this year with massive arrest of the protesters. However, increasing number of women and girls stopped wearing hijab altogether in public despite the installation of surveillance cameras and the moral police back to the stage.