Iran's Crackdown on Women Defying Hijab Laws: Psychiatric Treatment and Park Closures

Iranian authorities are resorting to sending women who defy hijab laws into psychiatric treatment as a means of enforcing compliance. This move has raised concerns among healthcare organizations, who argue that the judiciary is misusing psychiatric medicine. The increasing number of women choosing to show their hair in public has highlighted the government's inability to enforce hijab laws. The misuse of psychiatric treatments reflects the disarray of the authorities and the growing disconnect between the government and Iranian society, particularly its youth. A proposed bill could introduce even harsher penalties for women who refuse to wear a headscarf, including the possibility of being sentenced to death for repeated offenses.