Teenage girls are arrested by Iran’s moral police for dancing to Selena Gomez’s song on Tiktok without headscarves to celebrate International Women’s Day.
- Short clip shows teens dressed in western clothing, moving to ‘Calm Down’
- Iran imposes strict rules regarding dancing in public, particularly for women
Five teenagers have been arrested in Iran after dancing to a Selena Gomez song without headscarves.
The Islamic Republic enforces strict laws regarding dancing and other forms of public entertainment, particularly for women.
A short video shows the teenagers dressed in western clothing moving to the beat of ‘Calm Down’, a remix of the Afrobeats hit by Nigerian singer Rema and pop star Gomez.
The clip was filmed in Ekbatan Town in western Tehran and coincided with International Women’s Day on March 8, and has been described as an act of defiance against the Iranian regime.
Gomez shared the video and the news of his arrest on his Instagram page.
A short video shows the teens dressed in western clothing moving to ‘Calm Down’, a remix of the Afrobeats hit by Nigerian singer Rema and pop star Gomez (pictured)
Five teenagers have been arrested in Iran after dancing to a Selena Gomez song without headscarves
Gomez shared the video and the news of his arrest on his Instagram page.
She wrote: “To these young women and all the women of Iran who continue to be courageous in demanding fundamental change, know that your strength is inspiring.”
It comes after journalist and filmmaker Maziar Bahari wrote online: “This is a common scene in most cities around the world. But in Iran, it’s an act of defiance.’
After the video circulated, the Shahrak-e Ekbatan Twitter account reported that the girls’ dance instructor, surnamed Mitra, had been questioned.
The account, which covers neighborhood news, also reported that the girls had been issued a “warning” about the video.
The Iranian press has since reported that the girls had been detained after the stunt.
Massive protests have been seen in the country in the past six months, since the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman who had been detained for an alleged violation of the strict dress code for women.
The ensuing violence claimed the lives of hundreds of people, including dozens of security personnel, and thousands more were arrested.
