Tehran, April 19 (TNS): The head of the department of Islamic guidance in the Iranian city of Mashhad has been arrested after people danced at an event in a local shopping centre.
A video showed a crowd of men and women enjoying a performance by a singer.
Mixing between the genders and dancing in public are severely restricted under Iran’s Islamic laws.
A judicial official said the shopping centre event, which was authorised by the Islamic guidance department, was an “offence against public decency”.
Mashhad is the location of an important Shia shrine and is a stronghold of particularly hardline clerics.
The video of the shopping centre event shows hundreds of men and women crowded onto several floors around an atrium, where a male pop singer is performing. As they watch, some clap and dance a little.
After the footage was shared online, hardliners in Mashhad expressed outrage and called for those who authorised the event to be held accountable.
Courtesy: BBC
