They’re back. In recent weeks, Tehran residents have seen an increase in the numbers of a familiar, but not entirely welcome, sight: gashte ershad, or morals-police patrols. In the past, these patrols have tried to keep women’s Islamic dress, or hijab, in check. (No-nos include showing too much hair or bare toes, for instance.) Amorous couples often get a slap on the wrist, too (holding hands not allowed; kissing in public? forget it). But the current clampdown seems harsher than in the past: Tehran residents who spoke to Newsweek say many young women are being detained on the spot without a warning. Several improperly dressed women were even suspended recently from the Allameh Tabatabai University in Tehran, according to the Mehr News Web site. “It’s getting ridiculous,” says Bita, a young woman in Tehran who asked that her real name not be used. “They’re even arresting women who appear to be too tan. I mostly stay off the streets.”
via www.newsweek.com
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