Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Iran steps up 'immorality' crackdown http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\09\11\story_11-9-2007_pg4_23
TEHRAN: Iran is pressing on with one of its toughest moral crackdowns in years, warning tens of thousands of women over slack dress, targeting "immoral" cafes and seizing illegal satellite receivers, local media reported on Monday. The Iranian police launched the crackdown in April in a drive to "elevate security in society" that encompassed arrests of thugs, raids on underground parties and street checks of improperly dressed individuals. Reza Zarei, commander of police in Tehran province, said that since the drive began police in his region have handed out 113,454 warnings to women found to have infringed Iran's strict Islamic dress rules. "Of these 1,600 cases have been given to the judiciary" for further investigation, he said. He added that 5,700 people - including 1,400 men - have been sent to "guidance classes" on how to behave in society. Zarei said police have been targeting billiard halls and coffee shops - the latter hugely popular in Tehran as a meeting place for men and women - as certain establishments promoted immorality. The student news agency ISNA and the Kargozaran newspaper quoted Zarei as saying that police had shut down 3,000 coffee shops and billiard halls although the official IRNA news agency said the establishments had merely been given warnings. "I am pleased to have carried out this plan to elevate security in society," Zarei said. afp
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