Iranian people and women defy a repressive and illegitimate regime
The Iranian regime stepped up its crackdown on women over the past month under the pretext of Hijab. In parallel repressive measures, security forces canceled women’s concerts. They arrested women for dancing in the streets and posting photos without covering their heads on social media.
Beyond reflecting the regime’s oppression, this news indicates the defiance of the Iranian people and especially women, of the regime’s laws and coercions in various forms.
Under the repressive rule of the mullahs, women knew that they would be arrested for dancing in the streets. Nevertheless, they took the risk and did so. The news shows a nation’s rebellion fed up with the mullahs’ oppressive and illegitimate rule.
Concert canceled in Yazd
A musical group in Yazd was banned from performing its concert because female musicians joined them.
The musical group in Yazd refused to perform its concert in the selected hall. Instead, they performed their concert for the invitees, with all the female musicians present, in an outdoor space. (The state-run arshehonline.com – July 9, 2022)
An Azerbaijani dance instructor gets arrested
Security forces arrested Jila Ebrahimi, a female dance instructor, on July 1, 2022, for publishing images of dancing on the internet. Ms. Ebrahimi was transferred to the women’s ward of the Central Prison of Tabriz after charging her with posting such pictures.
Jila Ebrahimi is an Azerbaijani professional dance instructor and a member of a Tabrizi cultural association, Suz-e Saz.
Previously, four female singers were arrested in Minab for singing at a wedding ceremony. (The official IRNA news agency – June 26, 2022)
Three women detained for dancing on a bridge
The State Security forces in Kermanshah arrested and detained three women for dancing on one of the city’s overpass bridges.
The SSF commander in Kermanshah, Hassan Heydari, told reporters that they had traced the three women after the video footage of their dance was posted on social media. (The state-run Rouydad24.ir – July 14, 2022)
Heydari stressed that the police deal decisively with any action that breaches religious and legal norms.
In another development, security forces in Gilan Province arrested 30 people for participating in a mixed-gender night party. (The state-run Rokna.ir – July 16, 2022)
Seven university professors expelled after attending a graduation party
The student council of Kermanshah’s Pharmacy School announced the expulsion of seven faculty members. The seven professors at the Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences were expelled on July 6, 2022, for participating in a graduation ceremony of pharmacy students.
They attended a graduation ceremony with students and their families on June 1, 2022. The professors left when the official ceremony was over. But the celebrations continued with the students and their families. They danced the Kurdish folklore dance for a short while.
Recently, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences students posted a video clip on social media of men and women dancing and celebrating their graduation. The Public Relations Department of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences condemned this action. It claimed that it had not authorized such a ceremony.
The university’s deputy for education subsequently fired the seven professors who had participated in the graduation ceremony.
Clothes shops sealed down for selling unconventional clothes
Security forces sealed four shops selling women’s clothes in Qaemshahr, northern Iran, for selling unconventional clothes and promoting improper veiling. Eighteen other clothes shops received warnings threatening to seal off their stores if they repeated the offense. (The state-run Khabarfori Qaemshahr website – July 9, 2022)
In the meantime, a woman was arrested in Qaemshahr for posting her images online without wearing the veil.
No to compulsory veil, No to compulsory government
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) adopted a Women’s Freedoms and Rights plan in 1987. The NCRI emphasized the right of all Iranian women to “freely choose their clothing and covering,” and all its forces and members comply with it.
Iranian women are fanning the flames of the uprisings against the mullahs’ medieval regime with the chant of “no compulsory religion, no compulsory hijab, and no compulsory government.”
