Turkish Airlines' Tehran office sealed over hijab law violation

Iranian police closed Turkish Airlines' Tehran office due to non-compliance with mandatory hijab regulations.

The local office of Turkish Airlines in Tehran was sealed by police after female Iranian employees reportedly refused to comply with Iran’s mandatory hijab law.

The employees’ refusal to wear the headscarf, compulsory in Iran, led to an initial police warning for “non-observance of hijab.” When the employees resisted, the office was closed.

The semi-official Tasnim news agency reported the office might reopen on Wednesday, but police have not confirmed this. Turkish Airlines has not commented on the incident.

This event follows ongoing tensions and protests related to Iran’s mandatory hijab laws. The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September 2022, after being arrested for not wearing a hijab, sparked mass protests across Iran. Although these demonstrations have cooled, the decision by some Iranian women to appear in public without a headscarf continues to challenge the country’s theocracy.

Over the years, Iranian authorities have closed hundreds of businesses, including shops, restaurants, pharmacies, and offices, for allowing female employees to not wear the scarf. These enforcement measures increased ahead of Iran’s presidential election in June, which replaced the late President Ebrahim Raisi.

The hijab became compulsory for women in Iran following the 1979 revolution. Women who do not wear a headscarf or are deemed to wear it improperly could face fines or imprisonment. Recently, Iranian MPs have pushed for harsher punishments to deter women from violating modesty laws. The proposed Headscarf and Chastity Bill would increase fines and jail time, and even use artificial intelligence to identify violators.

Across Iran, protests against the compulsory hijab law have emerged. Violations have been met with penalties, including fines and jail time. These movements, led by activists and citizens, are challenging the obligatory hijab in a quest for greater liberties and women’s rights.

These demonstrations are a significant part of the broader Iranian Democracy Movement.