The Iranian government shut down the Tehran office of Digikala, one of Iran’s leading e-commerce companies, after it allegedly published pictures online showing female employees without headscarves.
Digikala’s website remains operational, the company announced. However, Iran’s judiciary filed a court case over the incident, the Associated Press reported.
The decision by the Iranian Ministry of Justice is part of a renewed effort by the Faraja—known as Iran’s “morality police”—to enforce an Islamic dress code, following last year’s mass protests against the country’s hijab requirement.
What is Digikala?
Targeting Digikala, a major force in Iran’s emerging e-commerce sector, is a clear escalation of dress code enforcement.
The popular site offers many different goods and services, including consumer items, tech products, and grocery delivery, reportedly drawing more than 40 million monthly users.
With Amazon largely unavailable to Iranian customers, the country has seen an explosion of tech firms looking to meet e-commerce demands. According to Iran’s Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade, there were more than 3.6 billion domestic e-commerce transactions in 2020 (the most recent annual numbers), a 14% increase over the previous year.
The morality police return after nationwide protests
Mass protests erupted in Iran last September following the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody. Amini had been arrested for allegedly not wearing a hijab in public and fell into a coma after being detained by the morality police.
Eyewitnesses, including fellow detainees, accused authorities of police brutality, while Amini’s family disputed government claims that she had died from complications related to a preexisting health condition.
After the demonstrations and a series of nationwide labor strikes, the morality police scaled back enforcement of the dress code. But in recent months, the government has resumed enforcing the law, arresting uncovered women and shutting down businesses serving those not wearing the hijab.
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