Iranian doctor who broke hijab rules sentenced to deliver babies for free
The gynecologist was also sentenced to compile a report to encourage Iranian female physicians to respect the Islamic dress code.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFAn Iranian woman adjusts her hijab as she stands in front of a portrait of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei while attending a rally in Tehran(photo credit: MORTEZA NIKOUBAZI/ REUTERS)
A female gynecologist who disregarded Iran's compulsory hijab rules was sentenced to seeing patients and delivering babies free of charge for one year, according to Radio Farda."In spite of other rulings in similar cases, the Branch 4 of the public court in the province of Alborz, west of the capital city, Tehran, decided that the suspect's crime, disregarding hijab, was not related to propaganda against the Islamic regime, and an anti-security action," stated the judge in the case."Regarding the suspect's social standing and her scientific qualifications, the court decided to sentence her to a total of 1080 hours of social service including seeing patients and delivering babies free of charge for a year."The gynecologist was also sentenced to compile a report to encourage Iranian female physicians to respect the Islamic dress code.The unnamed suspect was convicted for sitting on top of a police vehicle after security forces stopped her car to warn her about disregarding the Islamic dress code.The woman jumped out of her car and climbed on top of the police vehicle, took off her scarf and started waving it in the air in protest, according to Radio Farda.In July, Iranian hardliners strengthened measures against women who neglect to wear a hijab.The measures included an increase in the number of "vice squad" members who detain and punish women who don't follow the set of dress code rules, including those who wear "revealing" long coats. The squads even send electronic messages to drivers of cars with women passengers who don't observe the dress code and wear a hijab.Under Iran's Islamic law, imposed after the 1979 revolution, women are obliged to cover their hair in public. Violators are publicly admonished, fined or arrested.Reuters contributed to this report.
