Authorities call for Ban on Tattoos

Going to the hairdressers could soon be a dangerous activity if a group of hardliner politicians have their way.

Following on from a complaint about hairdressers and businesses offering tattoos and “hygienic services,” a parliamentarian from Qazvin, northwest of Tehran, has tabled a bill that would ban women from getting tattoos and imposing restrictions on hair removal services.  

On April 26, the Qazvin Khabar website, which has close ties to “principalists,” or hardliner politicians, published a letter written by a group calling themselves “Cultural Activists.” The letter, addressed to Ayoob Rahimi, the political security deputy of Qazvin’s Governor General, called for immediate measures to be taken against hairdressing salons that offer tattoos and  “hygienic” services.

According to Etemad newspaper, a copy of the letter was sent to 14 other authorities in Qazvin. In an interview with Etemad, Qazvin MP Seyed Morteza Hosseini confirmed the letter had been circulated and announced that parliament’s culture committee was drafting a bill.

“Certain hairdressers are promoting Western culture by offering hygienic services. Although some salons have obtained official permission to administer tattoos, women are prohibited from getting tattoos on religious grounds. Islam condemns it.”

“This practices is not worthy of the Iranian nation. Qazvin is a religious city with strong religious tendencies. That’s why a voice of objection should be raised.”

Hosseini said that the MPs objected to a number of different practices on grounds of morality and Islamic values; tattoos were just one on a list of many.

“Recently, we found out that hairdressers can obtain permits to offer certain services. Salons offering epilation services without official permission have opened in the city, making money without any official supervision.”

Hosseini applauded the “activists” that drew attention to the practice. “They are faithful religious people of Qazvin,” he said.  

A reporter asked Hosseini what percentage of people in Qazvin opposed electrical hair removal and tattoos, and whether support of the bill was widespread, Hosseini replied: “I have been elected by the majority of Qazvin’s residents. So in the same way that I am against such things, the majority is against them too. Without any measures taken against these things, they will become more prevalent. Many people open up these salons in Qazvin only for the purpose of making money.”

When asked whether people seeking out these services would simply go to other cities, the politician, “What is important for us is to prohibit them in the religious city of Qazvin. The objection should come from above. I will definitely raise it with in the culture committee.”

Read the original article in Persian