More Shops, Amusement Park Closed over "Non-Observance” of Hijab

The Iranian government is widening its clampdown on public, commercial and tourist venues allegedly failing to comply with the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code for women.

A bookstore, a clothing shop and a popular amusement park were among the businesses forced to close in recent days for failing to enforce mandatory hijab rules for women.

On August 9, the Didavar bookstore in Tehran announced on Instagram it had been sealed as it prepared to mark its third anniversary. 

In the central city of Isfahan, a clothing store, the Dopuod Gallery, was shut due to what authorities deemed "non-observance of hijab."

Earlier this month, a robotic-themed amusement park in Tehran was closed down for failing to enforce mandatory hijab rules for women visitors.

RoboKids was cited for infractions of headscarf regulations, which led to the closure of one of the two branches it operates in the capital.

The amusement park ranked second in this year’s Second Innovation Challenge organized by UNICEF Iran and the Pardis Technology Park for offering children “a renewed chance at edutainment using Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.”

It has also won the top company award from Tehran’s Amirkabir University.

Separately, Iran's largest online store Digikala had its administrative building sealed shut after images of female employees without a headscarf circulated on social media.

Another web-based company, the Azki insurance company, announced a suspension of activities after female employees appeared in a promotional video without hijab.

Hossein Islami, the head of the computer trade union organization of Tehran province, said that such suspensions presented a threat to the development of the digital economy in Iran.

"We will show a public reaction," Islami said. 

Late last month, the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Mohammad Mehdi Esmaeili, called the removal of the hijab a "red line," including on online platforms.

The Iranian authorities are also enforcing gender segregation in various settings, including universities, hospitals, educational and administrative centers, parks and tourist spots.

In the port city of Bandar Abbas, reports surfaced on August 9 about the forced closing of a barber shop known for serving female clients.

The head of Hormozgan province’s Public Security Police cited "unconventional practices, such as playing Western music and styling women's hair" as the reason for the move. 

The shop's manager was arrested, and legal proceedings were initiated against him.

Anger over the suppression of human rights in Iran has boiled over since the September 2022 death in police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who had been arrested for allegedly wearing a hijab improperly.

The nationwide protest movement appears to have waned in recent months, but resistance to forced hijab remains strong, with images of women walking in public spaces being widely shared on social media.