Iran’s Hijab Crackdown Goes Digital

The Islamic Republic of Iran is leveraging drones and intrusive digital tools to suppress dissent, particularly among women challenging the regime’s strict dress code, according to a new United Nations report.

Iranian authorities are using a disturbing tactic: “state-sponsored vigilantism,” where citizens are encouraged to report women suspected of violating hijab laws. Special apps like Nazer, developed by Iranian police, allow users—including “vetted” members of the public and law enforcement—to report hijab violations by submitting the date, time, location, and license plate number of taxis, buses, metro cars, and even ambulances. These reports trigger automated text warnings to vehicle owners, who risk having their cars impounded for repeated offenses.

Surveillance tools have also been installed at key public sites. At Tehran’s Amirkabir University, authorities deployed facial recognition software at the entrance to detect students not wearing the hijab. Surveillance cameras on major highways serve the same purpose: flagging uncovered women traveling by car.

The enforcement is brutal. The UN investigators interviewed nearly 300 individuals, including victims, witnesses, and experts. Their findings point to a pattern of violence—arbitrary arrests, beatings, and sexual assault in detention centers. In some cases, women were subjected to mock executions before being raped, sometimes repeatedly. These acts, the report says, are part of a broader campaign of intimidation and punishment designed to stamp out dissent.

The crackdown comes two and a half years after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody, which sparked nationwide protests. Rather than easing enforcement, authorities have doubled down.

“This is a deeply concerning escalation in the Iranian regime’s desire to control women’s bodily autonomy,” Gissou Nia, director of the Strategic Litigation Project at the Atlantic Council, told More to Her Story. “As opposition to the regime continues to grow among the Iranian public, the use of technology means the repressive apparatus can be quickly scaled up without the need for loyal human foot soldiers to do the regime’s bidding.”

Despite the heightened risks, Iranian women and girls continue to bravely resist.