伊朗廢除女性強制戴頭巾規定——四十年宗教束縛的鬆動與新時代的開端

2025年10月，伊朗社會迎來了一項具有劃時代意義的變化。伊朗政府高層正式宣布，女性在公共場所不再被強制要求佩戴頭巾，違者也不會再面臨罰款、拘捕或其他法律懲罰，道德警察亦被明令不得再以頭巾問題為由對女性進行懲處。這項宣告意味著，自1979年伊斯蘭革命以來，持續逾四十年的「強制戴頭巾」制度，首次被實質性地廢止或凍結執行。

一、從宗教象徵到法律義務：強制戴頭巾的歷史根源

1979年伊斯蘭革命後，伊朗建立了以宗教法為基礎的神權體制。女性的服飾因此被視為宗教忠誠與社會道德的象徵。1983年，伊朗正式將「女性須在公共場合佩戴頭巾」入刑法典，規定違者可遭罰款、鞭刑或監禁。

在此後的數十年間，「道德警察」（Guidance Patrol）成為街頭常見的一道景象。他們負責監督女性的服裝是否「得體」，若被認定未遵守規範，便會當場帶走或處以懲罰。這一制度長期遭到人權組織批評，被視為政府控制公民私人生活的象徵。

二、從「阿米尼事件」開始的抗爭

2022年9月，一名22歲的庫德族女子瑪莎·阿米尼（Mahsa Amini）因被指未正確佩戴頭巾而遭道德警察拘留，隨後在羈押期間死亡。這起事件迅速引爆全國憤怒，伊朗各地爆發了數十年來最大規模的抗議浪潮，口號「女性、生命、自由」（Woman, Life, Freedom）傳遍全球。

抗議行動雖遭當局嚴厲鎮壓，但它徹底動搖了強制戴頭巾制度的正當性，也使得政府在國內外的壓力下開始重新思考政策方向。

三、制度鬆動：從嚴刑峻法到「暫緩執行」

2023年，伊朗議會通過了《頭巾與貞潔法》，試圖加強懲罰規範，對不戴頭巾的女性以及配合她們的企業施以罰款、旅行限制，甚至關閉營業場所。然而，這項法案一經公布便引發更大爭議，最終在2024年底被官方宣布「暫緩執行」。

到了2025年10月，評估委員會成員穆罕默德．雷扎．巴霍納爾（Mohammadreza Bahonar）在公開發言中指出：「目前伊朗沒有任何法律實際要求女性強制佩戴頭巾，道德警察也不得再以此為由採取懲處措施。」他更強調，女性若因服飾問題遭遇不當對待，應可依法申訴。

這番言論成為伊朗政府在實務層面「停止執行強制頭巾」的明確信號。

四、保守派與改革派的拉鋸

儘管巴霍納爾的發言受到改革派與年輕世代的歡迎，但保守宗教勢力隨即表達強烈不滿。部分神職人員與保守派媒體批評這項政策「動搖伊斯蘭根基」，指責其為「西方文化滲透」的結果，甚至有人要求恢復道德警察的執法權。

另一方面，改革派人士則認為，這是伊朗社會邁向現代化與性別平權的重要一步。他們指出，即使法律仍未正式修改，實際上政府已默許社會習慣的轉變。德黑蘭、伊斯法罕等城市的街頭，越來越多女性不再佩戴頭巾，警察也多選擇忽視。

五、民意與現實：自由的邊界仍待確立

儘管官方宣稱「女性不會再因頭巾遭罰」，但在部分保守地區，仍有零星報導指出地方執法單位依舊強制執行舊法規。學校、政府機關與法院等正式場合，也依然要求女性遵守「基本伊斯蘭服飾準則」。

因此，這次廢令雖具有象徵性突破，但尚難說是徹底自由。伊朗社會目前正處於宗教傳統與現代價值的拉鋸階段。對許多伊朗女性而言，能否真正自主選擇是否佩戴頭巾，不只是服飾問題，更是人格尊嚴與國家身份的再定義。

六、歷史意義與未來展望

這項政策鬆動，標誌著伊朗社會結構的深層變化。自1979年以來，頭巾法被視為伊斯蘭共和國最具象徵意義的規範之一，它的鬆動代表政府首次在宗教與政治權威間作出妥協。

無論改革能否在法律層面最終落實，女性在公共空間的能見度與自主意識已不可逆轉。伊朗街頭那一抹隨風飄揚的秀髮，成為整個中東地區女性覺醒與爭取自由的象徵。

Iran Abolishes Mandatory Hijab Law — The Loosening of a 40-Year Religious Constraint and the Dawn of a New Era

In October 2025, Iran witnessed a momentous social shift. Senior Iranian officials announced that women are no longer legally required to wear the hijab in public. Those who choose not to cover their hair will no longer face fines, arrest, or other punishments, and the so-called “morality police” have been stripped of their authority to punish women for dress-code violations.

This marks the first substantive suspension—and, in practice, abolition—of Iran’s compulsory hijab policy since it was imposed more than four decades ago following the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

1. From Religious Symbol to Legal Obligation

After the 1979 revolution, Iran established a theocratic system based on Islamic law. The hijab became a symbol of religious devotion and moral integrity, eventually turning into a legal obligation. By 1983, Iranian law explicitly required women to wear head coverings in public. Violations could lead to fines, flogging, or imprisonment.

For decades, “morality police” patrols—officially known as the Guidance Patrol—roamed the streets to enforce dress codes. Women deemed “improperly dressed” were often detained, fined, or subjected to humiliating “re-education.” Human rights groups have long criticized the practice as a form of systemic gender oppression and state control over private life.

2. The Turning Point: The Death of Mahsa Amini

The nationwide outcry against the hijab law began in earnest in September 2022, when 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini died in police custody after being detained for allegedly wearing her hijab “improperly.”

Her death sparked massive demonstrations across Iran under the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom.” The protests were the largest in decades, shaking the foundations of the Islamic Republic. Despite harsh crackdowns, the movement permanently altered public opinion and forced the government to confront unprecedented social pressure from within.

3. From Strict Enforcement to “Suspension”

In 2023, the Iranian parliament passed the Law on Chastity and Hijab, seeking to intensify penalties. It extended punishments to businesses and organizations that tolerated unveiled women, threatening them with closure, fines, or travel bans.

However, by late 2024, faced with widespread backlash and enforcement chaos, Iranian authorities quietly announced that the law’s implementation would be “postponed.”

Then, in October 2025, Mohammadreza Bahonar, a senior member of Iran’s Expediency Council, publicly declared:

“At present, there is no active law requiring women to wear the hijab. Morality police have no authority to punish anyone for it.”

He further stated that women who experience harassment or discrimination due to their attire should report it. Bahonar’s statement effectively confirmed that the government had halted the enforcement of the hijab requirement.

4. Tension Between Conservatives and Reformists

While reformists and much of Iran’s younger generation welcomed the announcement, conservative clerics and hardline factions reacted with outrage. Religious leaders condemned the policy shift as a “betrayal of Islamic values,” claiming it reflected Western influence and moral decay.

Conservative media outlets argued that Bahonar’s comments lacked legal legitimacy and accused reformists of eroding the foundations of the Islamic Republic.

Reformist voices, however, hailed it as a major victory for women’s rights. In major cities such as Tehran and Isfahan, more women have begun appearing unveiled in public, and police largely ignore the change—an unthinkable scene just a few years ago.

5. The Reality: Freedom Still Has Boundaries

Despite the official statements, implementation remains uneven. In more conservative provinces, there are still reports of women being detained or reprimanded by local authorities. Public institutions—such as schools, courts, and government offices—continue to enforce dress codes.

In other words, the hijab rule’s abolition is de facto but not yet de jure. The old laws remain technically in place but are no longer being actively enforced. For many Iranian women, this partial freedom symbolizes both progress and the long road still ahead.

6. Historical Significance and Future Outlook

This policy shift represents one of the most profound social transformations in Iran’s modern history. The hijab law, once seen as the moral cornerstone of the Islamic Republic, is now losing its political and religious grip.

Even if the legal framework has not yet caught up, the social reality has changed irreversibly. Women’s presence and autonomy in public life are expanding, and the act of walking unveiled through the streets of Tehran has become a quiet form of resistance—and liberation.

In a broader sense, Iran’s decision could have ripple effects across the Middle East, where debates over religion, gender, and state control continue to shape public life. For millions of Iranian women, this moment marks not just a legal shift, but the rebirth of personal dignity, identity, and freedom.