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Features

Young Iranians Prosecuted for Sharing Music Video

September 13, 2021
OstanWire
1 min read
Young Iranians Prosecuted for Sharing Music Video

A group of young people in Dezful, Khuzestan are being prosecuted for taking part in a music video.

The Sol-la music group, which includes children, released a video several days ago in which they played and sang songs together at the historic Saniei Residence, a local history museum in Dezful.

This minor artistic activity was apparently not to the liking of Dezful police. On Sunday, the force said both the “participants and producers” had had a case filed against them. Payman Yousefi, director of Sol-a, was summoned to the local police station together with several of the young people.

"We identified and summoned the members of this group in less than 24 hours," Dezful police chief Ruhollah Geravandi told local news agencies. He added: "Dezful is the city of al-Momenin [believers] and we will not allow the image of the city and its reputation to be tarnished."

Mr. Geravandi did not elaborate on how teenagers singing and playing the guitar was linked to the city’s religion or reputation.

Because of the location of the film, police also summoned the owner of the Saniei Residence and made him sign a written undertaking not to permit such activities on the premises again.

Iranian women and girls were banned from playing music and singing solo after the Islamic Revolution. The depiction of musical instruments on TV was also officially barred.

Related coverage:

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Erratic Censorship of Instruments Confounding Musicians in Iran

Authorities Arrest Tehran Young People Who Produced “Happy” Video Clip

On Censorship, Cultural Destruction and the Power of Music

Music Censorship on the Rise

A Song for the Banned Voices of Women in Iran

The War on “Sinful” Music Concerts in Iran

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