New legislation passed by the Iranian Parliament approved death sentence for perpetrators of "acid attacks aimed at bringing about terror and instability in the society."
Dozens of women in Iran have been attacked with acid in recent years by family members or presumably by hardline supporters of the compulsory hijab. Ministry of Health statistics puts acid attacks at 60 to 70 cases every year.
In one of the worst cases of acid attacks in Iran four young women were attacked in Isfahan in 2014. Their cases have still remained inconclusive in court as police claims the attackers have not been yet identified.
The new legislation was passed on Sunday June 9, but it needs to be endorsed by hardliner-dominated Guardian Council before being implemented.
According to the official news agency IRNA, 161 MPs voted for the legislation, 9 MPs voted against it and another 9 abstained. Some 245 of the 290 MPs were present at the session on Sunday.
The new legislation, if implemented, will be a victory for acid attack victims campaign.
