Actor arrested in Iran for criticising headscarf requirement

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Iranian girls sing during a pro-hijab rally in Tehran on July 12, 2023 - AFP
TEHRAN, Iran - An actor has been arrested in Iran after criticising the harsh enforcement of compulsory headscarves on women, German news agency (dpa) quoted local media reports.

Mohamad Sadeghi was arrested with fire brigade intervention at his residence in the capital of Tehran, Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday.

Videos circulated on Twitter reportedly showed officers entering Sadeghi's home during a live recording of him for social media.

Earlier, the actor had posted a video criticising the state's violent crackdown on women who do not comply with strict dress codes.

On Sunday, the Iranian authorities announced the return of the morality police who disappeared after last year's mass protests in the big cities to enforce the headscarf requirement.

Police patrols across the country aim to crack down on violators. A draft law also provides for harsher penalties for dress code violations.

The trigger for the massive protests in autumn 2022 against the country's political and religious leadership was the death of the Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after being arrested for violating the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code - BERNAMA