A report Friday from the United Nations says Iran is using advanced technology, including drones, facial recognition and a citizen reporting app to crack down on violations of its mandatory hijab laws.
A key element of the effort is the government-backed Nazer app, which allows police and “vetted” members of the public to report alleged rapes committed by women in vehicles, including ambulances, public transport and taxis.
The report describes that the app allows users to upload the vehicle’s license plate, location and time of an alleged violation. Then, according to the report, he alerts the police. Then, according to the report, the app “sends a text message (in real time) to the registered owner of the vehicle, warning them that they have been caught violating mandatory hijab laws and that their vehicles would be impounded for ignoring these warnings.”
According to the report, authorities are using drones in Tehran and the southern part of the country to monitor compliance with hijab wearing in public areas, as well as new facial recognition software said to have been installed last year at the entrance to Tehran’s Amirkabir University.
The report will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday.
