Postponement of the Hijab and Modesty Law... What’s the Story?!
December 17, 2024, 9:43 am

Postponement of the Hijab and Modesty Law... What’s the Story?!

الحجاب الإيراني (ليفانت نيوز)

After months of back-and-forth between the Iranian system council and the Guardian Council (the body overseeing elections), the so-called "Hijab and Modesty Law," consisting of 71 articles divided into five chapters, was finally published on November 30. This law, drafted by clerics, sheds light once again on the essence and starting point of the anti-woman religious fascism aimed at intensifying repression against society, especially women.

According to reports from Iranian government media on December 14, cleric Salimi, a member of the council's presidency, announced that the enforcement of the compulsory Hijab and Modesty Law had been postponed at the government's request for an amended bill. Earlier, the parliament speaker, Ghalibaf, had announced that the law would be communicated to the government and would come into effect starting December 13.

The judiciary submitted the initial draft of this law, titled "Supporting the Culture of Modesty and Hijab," to parliament, with the backing of former president Ebrahim Raisi, following the national uprisings in 2022. These uprisings, which shook the foundations of the regime, forced it to resort to medieval laws to impose more organized control over the explosive Iranian society.

It is noteworthy that the repression of women under the guise of hijab has been the cornerstone of religious fascism policies since the early days of the 1979 revolution. Despite the statements of parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf, this law does not target the despised morality police but instead reproduces it within a broader and more diverse framework. Various articles of this law define specific duties for ministries, cultural and social institutions, municipalities, and even business owners.

Municipalities and rural councils are tasked with providing the necessary conditions to implement the alleged principles of modesty and hijab in public places like parks, public transportation, and cultural centers. This requires increased control over citizens' daily lives and allows for the presence and direct intervention of regime forces in all public domains.

The Ministry of Intelligence, the National Security Forces’ Intelligence Branch, and the IRGC Intelligence Organization are explicitly tasked with directly confronting women. This article clearly indicates an escalation in the security and judicial dimensions of social control.

Under this law, business owners and executive agency employees face severe penalties if they fail to cooperate in enforcing the law. The "Hijab and Modesty Law" issued by the regime starkly contradicts the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and agreements regarding women's rights. This law violates the right to freedom of dress, a fundamental human right, imposes the ideological standards of the regime, and effectively deprives women of their right to choose.

Instead of responding to the people's demands for individual freedoms and women's rights and putting an end to discrimination, religious fascism has again resorted to tools of repression and social control. This law is a clear example of a policy that intensifies social pressures rather than alleviating them.

The law's focus on employing various methods of repression - from monitoring public spaces to imposing informant practices - demonstrates the regime's determination to maintain its grip on power at any cost. Experience shows that such policies only serve to amplify public anger and protests.

So far, with the law not yet fully ratified, the state-run "Entikhab" news site stated on December 1: "The provisions of this law are practically unenforceable, and the law contradicts our social conditions to such an extent that even a small percentage of its implementation could predictably lead to severe social crises." Iranian women have repeatedly shown that they will not succumb to such laws. The women's protest movements from past decades, symbolized by the 2022 uprising, represent resistance against repressive and anti-woman policies. Revolutionary Iranian women, pioneers in the struggle for freedom and social justice, will not back down from these measures.

In a statement on December 1, 2024, Maryam Rajavi, the elected President of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, declared: "The anti-woman 'Hijab and Modesty Law' is a criminal and inhumane law that is strongly condemned. Through this unjust law and the use of repressive forces, Khamenei seeks to subjugate society, especially women who stand at the forefront of the struggle against religious fascism. Daily executions and anti-woman laws will not resolve this regime's dilemma."

The Women’s Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran has also called on all free Iranian women to confront this criminal and inhumane law with the slogan "Women, Resistance, Freedom."

The shameful and repressive "Hijab and Modesty Law," like other repressive policies of the regime, is doomed to failure due to its contradiction with social realities and the people's demands. The enactment of such laws proves that the regime has no strategy.

Nizam Mir Mohammadi

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.