News Center- Ahead of International Women’s Day, Amnesty International has released a press statement, condemning Iran for its crackdown enforcing compulsory hijab laws.

 According to testimonies collected by Amnesty International, tens of thousands of women have had their cars arbitrarily confiscated as punishment for defying Iran’s veiling laws, while others have been prosecuted and sentenced to flogging or prison terms, or have faced other penalties such as fines or being forced to attend “morality” classes.

“In newly-collected testimonies from 46 people, 41 women, including a trans woman, one girl and four men, the stark details are revealed over how a range of Iranian state agencies are involved in persecuting women and girls or exercising their rights to bodily autonomy and freedom of expression and belief,” the statement said.

Amnesty International has released excerpts of 20 of the testimonies ‎to provide a glimpse into the frightening daily reality faced by women and girls in Iran. At the time of publication, proceedings against six of the women were ongoing.

“In a sinister attempt to wear down resistance to compulsory veiling in the wake of the ‘Woman Life Freedom’ uprising, the Iranian authorities are terrorizing women and girls by subjecting them to constant surveillance and policing, disrupting their daily lives and causing them immense mental distress,” Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Deputy Director Diana Eltahawy said in the statement. “The intensifying persecution of women and girls is taking place just weeks before the UN Human Rights Council is set to vote on extending a fact-finding mission with a mandate to investigate violations since the death in custody of Mahsa/Jina Amini, particularly against women and children.”