Iranian Women Unveiled

In a move undoubtedly inspired by Sex and the City 2 Iranian women are tearing off their veils in the latest campaign against the state's religious restrictions.
The scheme - masterminded by exiled activist (and Voice of America journalist) Masih Alinejad - is designed to encourage Iranian women to question the regime's strict modesty laws.

Speaking about the campaign, Alinejad said: “I just asked women to send selfies of their private moments of freedom,” she says. “When I was in Iran, I would take my head scarf off when I was out in a field or some place private, and I wondered how many Iranian women [did the same]. Apparently a lot.”

The movement has already spawned thousands of followers under the hashtag #آزادی‌یواشکی (#stealthfreedom). Meanwhile, a Facebook page dedicated to the movement, gathered over 30,000 likes in its first five days.

Iranian women face 70 lashes or 60 days behind bars if they remove their veil in public. Unsurprisingly, Alinejad has faced criticism and pressure from religious hardliners with extremists even staging a pro-veil protest last week.