The iran woman appears in an ad wearing a loose hijab and biting a magnum ice cream. Officials asserted that the advert went “against public decency” and was an “insult” to “women’s values”, further issuing a ban.
Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance has banned women from appearing in advertisements after a sexy ice-cream commercial. The ministry claimed it is making instrumental use of women and needs an immediate ban.
Soon after the commercial, the Ministry notified the advertising authorities that from now on women are barred from appearing in advertisements and commercials, Radio Free Europe reported. The letter claiming “ban” was issued in accordance with rulings issued by the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution. Officials stated that the advert went “against public decency” and was an “insult” to “women’s values”
The advertisement led to an outcry among Iran’s hardline Islamic leaders who then urged officials to sue the local ice cream manufacturer Domino.
The Controversial Advertisement
In a Twitter tweet dated 5 July 2022 Iran International English, the news source from Iran shared the commercial Advertisement on their Twitter handles.
They shared the video of the local Ice- cream company Domino which stirred controversy and ultimately lead to the barring of women from advertisements. Sharing the ads on Twitter, they wrote “The body responsible for “enjoining right and forbidding evil” in the Islamic Republic of Iran has filed a lawsuit against the Iranian ice-cream manufacturer Domino over two controversial commercials, which it says are “against public decency” and “insult women’s values.”
Watch the Advertisements here: Magnum Controversial Ice-Cream Ad
Why the Iran Women banned from Ads?
The ministry claimed the step was taken to tighten the country’s hijab and chastity laws in the country.
Ban issued was in accordance with the local law that prohibits the “instrumental use” of women, men and children.
This controversy is seen to have erupted with regard to the emphasis on “Iran’s enforcement of the hijab in public” in the country. Iranian women have raised their voices against this in several ways. Women protested and launched social media campaigns against its strict enforcement. However, in doing this they got arrested and punished for violating these rules.
Since the Islamic revolution of 1979, the hijab has been mandatory for all women in Iran. Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini ordered the female civil servants to wear the chador, which later became compulsory.
Iran Protests against Hijab- A Compulsory Dress code for Iranian women
Iranian women have been protesting for a long against the compulsory Hijab Dress code. In 2017, an Iranian woman Vida Movahed led by others took off their hijabs in public and showed it to public. Hence, protested against the mandatory hijab rule in the country. She became an inspiration for Iranian women.
Another Iranian activist, Saba Kord Afshari was detained over charges of “corruption and prostitution” for twenty-four years for “taking off her Hijab”.
In Iran, women protesting against wearing a Hijab attract a prison sentence of 2-12 months and a fine of between 50,000 and 500,000 rials (adjusted for inflation).
A movement named “niqab under my foot” was also launched against the conservative dress made mandatory for them. This movement was launched in 2018.
Hijab- In Indian context
On the other hand, our country India recently saw many pro-hijab protests which were completely opposite of what happened in several countries worldwide. The movement in India is entirely contrary to the countries like Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi- Arabia and many others where women are regularly fighting against the mandatory hijab- dress code enforced on them.
In India, in the Udupi district of Karnataka female students protested against not being allowed to wear the hijab asserting a violation of their rights. Many Muslim girls said that their fundamental rights to education and religion are being denied, by not being allowed to wear the hijab.
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