Iran Opens Clinic to Treat Women Refusing to Wear Hijab, Labels It a ‘Mental Crisis’

Iran has opened a mental health clinic in Tehran called the Clinic for Quitting Hijab Removal. The facility is meant for women and girls who refuse to wear the hijab, a move the government calls a response to a “mental crisis.” This action follows the 2022 “Women, Life, Freedom” protests.

The clinic is led by Mehri Talebi Darestani, who says it will offer “scientific and psychological treatment” for teenagers, young adults, and women seeking“social and Islamic identity.” Darestani claims the clinic will focus on values like “dignity, modesty, and hijab,” adding that attendance will be “optional.”

The facility is managed by Iran’s Headquarters for Enjoining the Good and Forbidding the Evil, which enforces religious laws. This department, led by Mohammed Saleh Hashemi Golpayegani, faces global criticism for rights abuses, especially against women defying dress codes.

Also read: Iranian Government Says Woman Who Removed Clothes at University Needs Treatment

In a recent case, a female university student who protested hijab rules was declared mentally ill and sent to a psychiatric facility, sparking further outrage over Iran’s treatment of women.