Tehran police chief defends new undercover morality police force
Tehran’s police chief, Hossein Sajedinia, has defended the decision to introduce 7,000 undercover morality officers in the capital, explaining the force will monitor security issues as well as appropriate women’s veiling.
The announcement of a 7,000-strong undercover morality police force in Tehran has been met with wide domestic criticism. Tehran’s police chief, Hossein Sajedinia, defended the decision and attempted to downplay fears that the force would focus on reporting poorly veiled women.
“Creating calm and security in the country, especially in Tehran, is what the people expect from the police,” Sajedinia said April 21. He added that “moral security” is not only concerned with women’s veiling but also other social harms such as drug abuse, theft, drug smuggling and gangs of violent criminals.