Highway Police Join Hijab Crackdown in Iran

The enforcement of Iran's mandatory hijab regulations has intensified in recent days, with the highway police now also responsible for overseeing compliance. 

Teymor Hosseini, the head of highway police, said in a press conference that "the issue of chastity and hijab has been communicated to all units and specialized police, including the highway police," which now also plays a role.

The crackdown on vehicles carrying passengers without the mandatory hijab began in 2014 but has become more stringent following the Woman, Life, Freedom protests. The enforcement extends to vehicles even if only one passenger is not in compliance, with repeated SMS warnings sometimes preceding the confiscation of the car.

However, many citizens report having their cars impounded without receiving any warning messages. The economic aspect of this enforcement is significant: impounding vehicles has become a profitable enterprise for the Islamic Republic.

Mahshid, for instance, was with her elderly mother in Vanak Square in Tehran when their car was impounded despite their urgent medical appointment. She recounted to IranWire, "No matter how much I pleaded, the police would not reduce the fee for the crane. It cost two million and 500 thousand tomans ($41) to transport my car to a parking lot in Vali Asr."

Various entities benefit from the car confiscation process. Tow truck operators, parking lot owners, and even some officials receive compensation from this system. Tow trucks charge between one million ($16) and one and a half million tomans ($25) for each car they transport, with additional fees if the transfer is made at night. Cranes charge between two and three million tomans per day, with higher rates for night transfers.

Car owners often face additional fees. Once a car is transported to a parking lot, there is no guarantee that the lot will accept it unless a bribe is paid. As Mahshid recounted, the parking lot manager demanded an extra one million tomans to find a space, claiming that the lot was full.

Moreover, moving the car to a different lot incurs further costs for another tow or crane service. In addition to these fees, owners must also pay for the car’s protection from the sun and heat while it is impounded.

Despite regulations mandating that impounded vehicles be moved to designated parking areas, many lots claim to be private and charge up to 200,000 tomans ($3.3) per night. The parking fees and additional bribes create a financial burden on car owners, who are also approached by intermediaries seeking to help them retrieve their vehicles from the impound lot.

Following the death of Mahsa Amini, the Moral Security Police building on Vozara Street in Tehran has been closed. Now, those with impounded vehicles must visit the Public Security Police building on Nazarian Qomi Street in the Geisheh area. The Public Security Police are responsible for determining the duration of the impoundment. Once this period is established, a violation notice is issued, and further actions must be taken to resolve it. The minimum daily wage is 600,000 tomans ($10).

However, for individuals like Alireza, the situation is far more complex. Two days after purchasing a new car, Alireza's vehicle was confiscated by traffic police on Karim Khan Zand Street. Despite his claims that no woman had ever driven the car and that he himself has short hair, he was puzzled by the system's record of receiving four text messages, none of which he had actually received.

Alireza's experience is not isolated. Many cars are impounded without the owners receiving the required text messages. On the day Alireza visited the Public Security Police, he encountered dozens of others facing the same issue.

Another issue is the random checks conducted by police forces, who have the authority to query any vehicle’s license plate at any time. In recent months, there have been numerous reports of cars being questioned and impounded at odd hours and remote locations under the pretext of hijab violations.

One such case involves Niloufer, whose car was impounded at 1:00 a.m. on Imam Ali Highway. Despite the car and mobile phone being registered in her name, Niloufer did not receive any text messages. She later discovered that the messages were sent to her ex-husband's phone, and no explanation was provided for this error. The 35-day impoundment, supposedly due to four text messages, was resolved after extensive effort and nearly 10 million tomans in expenses.

The process can be expedited by engaging intermediaries. These middlemen can simplify the process by arranging parking spots and handling paperwork for a fee. They are often found outside public security buildings and police stations, facilitating quicker resolutions for a cost. More sophisticated operators, demanding substantial sums, can even help resolve impoundments more efficiently.

Alireza opted to use a middleman rather than endure the lengthy and costly legal process. He recounted to IranWire, "A person in plain clothes approached me and said, 'Give me 10 million tomans, and you can retrieve your car immediately.' Considering the potential costs and delays, I chose to pay this person, who claimed to have connections with the police. It was the right decision, as my car was indeed returned."

The increasing severity of car impoundments related to hijab violations has drawn criticism from legal experts, who argue that impounding vehicles for such reasons without a court order is unlawful. Despite public outcry, the lucrative nature of this operation has led government officials to continue the practice.