- Target:
- UN, Ban ki-Moon, OHCHR, Navi Pillay, Ahmed Shaheed, EU, European Parliament, State Department, HRW
- Region:
- Iran
- Website:
- youtu.be
June 24, 2014--Three Iranians have been arrested for appearing in and working on a celebratory World Cup music video, according to Iran’s official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). In the video, which was uploaded to YouTube on June 10, men and women — some not wearing the mandatory headscarf — sing and dance in support of the Iranian soccer team.
Police Chief Col. Rahmatollah Taheri told IRNA that the video includes scenes shot both outside of and within Iran, including the city of Shahroud, where the three — two 23-year-olds who appeared in the film, and a 26-year-old photographer — were arrested. Taheri also refers to the video as “vulgar,” according to the Associated Press, and urged Iranian youth not to engage in such behaviors.
The song, "Gole Iran," was written and performed by the seven-member Ajam Band. According to the video's credits, six others were involved in directing, editing, filming, and graphics. However, it's unclear which three of these individuals were arrested.
This is not the first arrest in Iran that has resulted from a homemade singing and dancing video. Six young men and women were arrested in May for dancing to the Pharrell Williams song “Happy,” though they were released shortly after. The crimes committed in the video include dancing to Western pop music, women declining to wear the mandatory headscarf, and disseminating an unlicensed video through an illegal web site.
WHEREAS: Arresting the three young Iranians merely for appearing in a music video to support Iran's football team Team Melli in the World Cup is a flagrant violation of Articles 18 and 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (to which Iran is a signatory) as well as Article 24 of the Iranian constitution;
AND WHEREAS: Their continued detention and also any charges already filed against them or any which will be filed against them in the future for their participation in this video are therefore ILLEGAL;
THEREFORE: We, the undersigned, demand that the international community bring all possible pressure to bear upon the Islamic Republic of Iran to IMMEDIATELY and UNCONDTIONALLY release all three young Iranians and drop all charges against them.
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The Free Three Iranians Arrested For Appearing In A World Cup Music Video petition to UN, Ban ki-Moon, OHCHR, Navi Pillay, Ahmed Shaheed, EU, European Parliament, State Department, HRW was written by John S. Burke and is in the category Human Rights at GoPetition.