Photos went viral after Pantiya Bahram, 53, posed without a headscarf. (file)
Tehran:
Local media reported that Iran has accused two leading actresses of publishing photos that violate the country’s dress code for women.
The Tasnim news agency said late on Monday that police in Tehran had handed over the case against Katayun Riahi and Pantiya Bahram to Iran’s judiciary, accusing them of “the crime of publicly removing the hijab and posting the pictures on the Internet”. have put.
If prosecuted, the pair could face fines or jail terms.
Earlier this month police said they would start using “smart” technology in public places to crack down on women flouting Iran’s mandatory dress code.
Last week, photos went viral after Bahram, 53, posed without a headscarf during a film screening, while Riahi, 61, posted several photos taken in public places around Tehran without a headscarf.
The requirement for women to wear headscarves in public was implemented shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The number of women violating the dress code in Iran has increased since a wave of protests following the September 16 death in custody of Kurdish-Iranian Mahsa Amini, 22, allegedly caused by violating it.
On 16 April, authorities said they had closed 150 business establishments whose employees were not following the dress code.
Ms. Bahram and Ms. Riahi have won several awards at the Fajr International Film Festival, Iran’s premier cinema festival.
In November, Ms Riyahi was released on bail after being detained for more than a week after she posted pictures of herself without a headscarf on Instagram to show solidarity with the Amini protests. had shown.
She was the first Iranian actress to post such pictures on social media in support of the protest movement.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)