The art of freedom in Iran
An investigative report on Iran ordered by the United Nations Human Rights Council was delivered on Tuesday and it paints a picture of a theocratic government very much afraid of its own people.
Aerial drones fly overhead to spot women without mandatory head covering. Facial recognition cameras look for dissidents in universities. An increase in executions of protesters has turned Iran into the world’s highest per capita user of the death penalty.
All in all, the report concludes, the Islamic Republic has committed crimes against humanity since mass protests in 2022 following the death in custody of a woman without a “proper” head scarf.
“For two years, Iran has refused to adequately acknowledge the demands for equality and justice that fuelled the protests,” said Sara Hossain, head of the U.N. Fact-Finding Mission.
Yet despite the crackdown, Iranians from diverse social groups, especially young women, still find public ways to express freedom and equality, often through artistic life on the streets or in online forums.
“When you step outside, you see their presence, their courage – it’s all about these fearless women now; nothing else compares,” stated a famous artist, Shohreh Mehran, as quoted in a 2024 book, “Women, Art, Freedom: Artists and Street Politics in Iran,” by scholar Pamela Karimi.
That public presence is best seen among young women selling crafts on Tehran’s streets. One art student named Saeedeh told IranWire, “For us who study art, being on this street without mandatory hijab is a form of resistance. ... More than sales, this protest presence is what matters.”
Some officials acknowledge the government has lost the people. “We are experiencing a social reality characterized by estrangement, protests, and hatred,” said Abbas Salehi, minister of culture and Islamic guidance, in January. He said trust must be rebuilt with the cultural and artistic community.
This quiet dissent seems to be having an impact. In mid-December, the government suspended a pending law that would have led to severe enforcement of veiling. It also loosened regulation of online dissent.
One other possible reason is the example set in Syria by the sudden collapse of an Iran-allied dictator to a small rebel force on Dec. 8. Iran’s ruling clerics may now realize their vulnerability to a similar uprising. One official said the new hijab law was suspended “to prevent the enemy from creating Syria [in Iran].”
The 2022 protests created a deep mental shift among Iranians, “reflected in the centrality of women and their dignity,” according to scholar Asef Bayat. Whether in their art or street presence, women know they have broken free.
