They jumped in Tehran's square/ Two Iranian women are arrested

2024-03-11 20:01:18, Kosova & Bota CNA

Two Iranian women were arrested after a video of them dancing in a Tehran square appeared on social media. They were dressed as a fictional Iranian character known as "Haji Firuz".

Hajji Firuz is traditionally associated with the festivities leading up to Nowruz - the Persian New Year, which marks the beginning of spring on March 20.

Their performance was considered by the authorities as an act of "social protest", leading to their arrest on the orders of Tehran's prosecutor, for "norm-breaking actions", according to a report by the Tasnim news agency.

Tensions over Iranians' public behavior and dress code enforcement, particularly with women, have risen in Iran.

An incident occurred in Qom when a video surfaced on social media showed a cleric filming a woman not wearing a hijab as she brought a child to the clinic.

The visibly shocked mother begged the cleric to delete the unauthorized recording, but he insisted she had to adhere to the hijab rule. The fight continued until the woman began to have a nervous breakdown, while the cleric was seen fleeing the scene.

This sparked backlash on social media, with initial reports claiming the woman, along with clinic staff, faced arrest by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps intelligence. They also claimed that the medical center was temporarily closed.

However, government and judicial authorities dismissed the claims, saying no arrests had been made in connection with the incident.

The prosecutor of Qom has subsequently ordered an investigation to identify those responsible for the distribution of the footage in the media.

The hijab, or Islamic headscarf, became compulsory for women and girls over the age of 9 in 1981, two years after the Islamic Revolution in Iran.

Many women have broken the rule over the years and pushed the boundaries of what officials say is acceptable clothing.

Protests rocked the Islamic Republic after the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.

Amin was arrested by the "morality police" in Tehran under allegations that he had violated the strict dress code for women in Iran.

Thousands of Iranians have taken to the streets to demand more freedom and rights for women./ REL