Discriminatory compulsory veiling laws have led to daily harassment, arbitrary detention, torture and other ill-treatment, and denial of access to education, employment, and public spaces. At least six women`s rights defenders remained in prison for campaigning against compulsory veiling. In a 2008 report, Human Rights Watch complained that “broad `security laws`” are used in Iran “to arbitrarily repress and punish individuals for expressing themselves, associated, and peacefully assembling for political purposes, in violation of international human rights treaties to which Iran is a party.” For example, “ties to foreign institutions, individuals or sources of funding” are sufficient to bring criminal charges such as “endangering national security” against individuals. [14] Many Iranians will ask you if you are married if you are traveling as a couple. We are not married, but we have always said that we are. This is to avoid strange looks and uncomfortable questions. Later, we decided to stop lying in casual conversations, but it`s a good idea to keep him in shelters. If you are not married as husband and wife, you cannot share a room. Iranians are even required to hand over a marriage certificate upon check-in at their hotel. For tourists, however, it will not be so strict, because everyone knows very well that things are different in the West. However, premarital sex is forbidden to most Iranian women. Even for non-religious. It`s hard to get married when you`ve lost your virginity to someone you won`t spend the rest of your life with.

Last but not least, come with an open mind. The Iranian people are usually very understanding and will help you navigate the laws and culture. One of the best things about traveling to Iran is learning how different it is from Western culture. It will open your eyes to a completely different way of life! Activists and civil society organizations have faced “harassment, intimidation, detention and smear campaigns,” the Foreign Ministry reported in 2019. Iranian courts have harshly sentenced dozens of activists who challenged compulsory hijab laws. Between 2018 and 2020 were among the most well-known cases: According to Iranian laws, it is illegal to be in close contact/sexual intercourse with a person of the opposite sex if you are not married, and close contact between a man and a woman can offend in public, so avoid public expressions of affection even if you are traveling with your spouse. Unmarried couples are also generally forbidden to share a hotel room together – non-Iranians are usually not interviewed and can book a room to share, but if one or both of you are Iranian, you will need to provide proof of marriage or book separate rooms. If your travel plans have Iran on the horizon, in addition to planning and making reservations, informing about special rules comes first! Abiding by these rules, of course, requires humility, but since they stem from Iran`s cultural norms, it means a lot to your host society. Here are the laws that all tourists in Iran should obey.

More information about traveling to Iran as a gay man: nomadicboys.com/gay-iran-tips/ Among the ill-treatment reported outside the laws of the Islamic Republic and convicted are the execution of thousands of political prisoners in 1988 and the widespread use of torture to force prisoners and their comrades to dismiss their cases on video for propaganda purposes. [3] Also condemned were the arson attacks on newspaper offices and attacks on political demonstrators by “quasi-official repressive bodies,” particularly Hezbollahi, as well as the killing of dozens of government opponents in the 1990s, allegedly by “rogue elements” in the government. The following is a guest post by Dr. Sanaz Alasti, an Iranian jurist who spent time with us this summer as a scholar-in-residence. Mr. Alasti is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at Lamar University. She is the author of several books, including one that provides a comparative perspective on penalties under international conventions and the laws of the United States and Iran. In recent years, however, young people have begun to ignore Sharia law. They have relationships and are not afraid to show it in public. The morality police will not punish them for speaking and leaving without being married, only if they kiss and hug each other in public places. All women are required by law to wear modest clothing by Islamic standards, such as a headscarf that covers your head and clothing that covers your body – think jeans or trousers, with a long-sleeved or three-quarter tunic, or a coat that extends to the middle of the thighs.

It`s easy during the colder months as the extra layers provide warmth, but during the warmer months, be sure to pack lightweight, breathable fabrics like linen or cotton to compensate for the extra layers. While some may hear the “Islamic dress code” and visualize black from top to bottom, Iran is actually quite fashion-conscious, especially in Tehran – Iranian women often have quite colorful wardrobes. In more traditional cities such as Qom or Mashhad, people are generally more conservative, and the clothes worn by locals will reflect this. For shoes, you can wear whatever you want, but it`s probably best to leave your flip-flops at home. You will see very quickly that sneakers are a big fashion trend for Iranian women; Ballerinas and moccasins are also very popular for going out. As always when traveling, a good rule of thumb is to interfere as much as possible, so try not to push the boundaries. Wearing jeans or slightly shorter tunics is not worth the unwanted attention you might receive, either from authorities or locals – it can be an insult, especially in more religious or traditional areas. Having the scarf loosely draped around your head and showing some hair is very common, but maybe you leave your skinny 3-quarter jeans at home. Which of the many laws in Iran do you find the strangest? Or have you heard of other laws in Iran that have not been mentioned? According to Amnesty International`s 2007 report, “ethnic and religious minorities” in the Islamic Republic “remained exposed to discriminatory laws and practices that continued to be a source of social and political unrest.” [323] International organizations and the United Nations unsuccessfully petitioned a Baloch prisoner named Javid Dehghan in late 2020 who had been convicted of murder and terrorism, as well as appeals for other ethnic minority prisoners.

[324] Do not touch women unless they are related or she is your spouse. This is the law in Iran. Affection in public places is not allowed. We spoke to a man who had even been arrested once for putting an arm around his wife`s waist on the street. Especially in big cities, we`ve seen quite a few couples walking hand in hand, but that`s about it. Old habits die hard, so we had to get used to them. We were often approached by young and old men who shook hands and welcomed us in Iran. Some – more traditional men – will not shake your hand as a woman, but will put their hands over their hearts as a greeting. Wait until you see what a man is doing before making contact.

These laws are not Islamic, but come from the conservative government. In the end, Iran is fabulous because the weather is nice, the people are friendly and full of hospitality, the accommodations are easy to find, have a lot of sightseeing and have a rich culture. On the other hand, Iran, like other countries, has laws that should respect and obey sex,, jokes about rules and laws in Iran, anti-Islam radio, all this and much more is not allowed by the Iranian government on television or on the Internet. All television programmes are broadcast and approved by the Government. If something does not fall under the rules, it will not be broadcast. In Iran, it is the government that decides what the population observes. The same goes for the Internet. Although the internet works well in Iran – in most places – many websites are inaccessible. For example, Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube are blocked and you can`t visit these websites without a VPN. In addition, some Google tools are not accessible.

Gmail and Google Maps work. Iranians sometimes joke that everything is forbidden in their country. There are so many laws in Iran. And for many things, that`s actually true. Alcohol is also strictly banned in Iran. Whether you`re under 18 or over 18, drinking a drop of alcohol can cause you to stop or face corporal punishment. But don`t think that Iranian youth have never had a beer or a glass of wine. On Thursday nights and Fridays (the Iranian weekend), local youths walk massively through the mountains or desert to light fires, make music, dance and drink alcohol. Every Iranian knows someone who brews alcohol illegally, and everything we drink – whiskey, beer, wine, rum, whatever – is also available in Iran.

“But many Iranians ignore these laws. At a wedding or birthday party, we dance together in private gardens, ceremonial halls or our own homes, regardless of Sharia law,” my Iranian friend said. When traveling to Iran, it helps to know in advance what rules and laws apply. As I said earlier, young people in the area take a lot of rules with a grain of salt and everyone knows how to get around the rules. That being said, it never hurts to know a little more about the rules. The safe is safe. During our trip to Iran, we discovered that young people on the ground learned to manage the rules in their own way.