The news of a young Iranian woman named Maedeh Hojabri getting arrested just because of uploading her dancing videos on her Instagram is sparked outrage among the people on Twitter.
Well, the 17-year-old girl had more than 600,000 followers on her Instagram profile that includes her videos of dancing to Iranian and Western pop music.
Check out one of her pics from her profile:
Unfortunately, the women in Iran who had posted videos of themselves dancing online to support her are also arrested.
According to activists, Hojabri along with with other detainees had appeared on a state television Programme in which she and other women were forced to make confessions, a tactic which is often used by Iranian authorities.
State TV showed a young woman, her face blurred, crying and shaking as she described her motivation for producing the videos.
She said, “It wasn’t for attracting attention, I had some followers and these videos were for them.”
“I did not have any intention to encourage others doing the same … I didn’t work with a team, I received no training. I only do gymnastics,” she said.
Well, No one knows about Hojabri’s personal life, or which city in Iran she resides in but after her arrest her videos have now been shared by hundreds of people and finally everyone is coming to know about the talent she possess.
It seems that they were using a camera in her bedroom while she danced to western pop and rap music without wearing a hijab, which is a requirement in public.
Hossein Ronaghi, a renowned blogger has slammed this whole of arresting the teenagers for doing something they desire to do.
He said,“People would laugh at you if you tell anyone in the world that [in Iran] they arrest 17-year-olds and 18-year-olds for dancing, being happy and being beautiful, for spreading indecency, and instead paedophiles are free.”
All that they want, is "To live a happy life, in freedom, giving wings to their dreams"
Let them live, let us live, give us the opportunity to breathe, and give yourselves time to see and comprehend the meaning of life.
— Hossein Ronaghi (@HosseinRonaghi) July 9, 2018
Now authorities want to ban Instagram which is one of the few unblocked western apps. While Facebook and Twitter are already filtered.
Touraj Kazemi, head of Tehran’s cyber-police, said his forces were identifying and are taking actions against popular accounts on Instagram.
Meanwhile, Iran has already sacked the head of its cyber crime after the blogger Sattar Beheshti died in custody.
This is not the first time such incident has happened in Iran.
In 2014, a group of Pharrell Williams fans arrested for filming themselves dancing to the song Happy on the rooftops of Tehran received suspended sentences of imprisonment and 91 lashes.
According to reports, the arrests were made for the content of the Instagram videos, not for the act of posting them online.
Iranian government has strict rules regarding women’s clothing while dancing with members of the opposite sex in public is banned, except in front of immediate family members.
Further, it is reported that Maedeh Hojabri is now banned to dance online.
Meanwhile, check out how people are coming in support of the teenagers:
#Iran : More & More Iranian women's are dancing in support of Maedeh Hojabri.#MaedehHojabri's crime was she uploaded her dance videos on Instagram.#FreeMaedeh #FreeIran pic.twitter.com/wuuyYuxe7j
— Ashraf Sherjan (@ASJBaloch) July 8, 2018
This women was arrested in the Islamic Republic of Iran & forced to confess on state tv that she regrets recording & uploading her dancing videos.That’s what #ShariaLaw means for people’s daily life. It ruins lives of people & a whole county.#MaedehHojabri#DanceOfFreedom pic.twitter.com/8SXMBXa3Q2
— Darya Safai (@SafaiDarya) July 8, 2018
When will Islamic Republic of Iran & it's Mullah regime will understand dancing is not a crime.
Teenage dancer, Maedeh Hojabri used to record dance videos in her bedroom and upload them to her instagram with 600K followers.#Iran #FreeMaedeh #FreeIran pic.twitter.com/E8id0STNQu
— Ashraf Sherjan (@ASJBaloch) July 8, 2018
You arrested me for being #Happy when I was 23. Now you arrest #MaedehHojabri and she is only 18! What will you do to the next generation?
— Reihane Taravati (@reihanetaravati) July 8, 2018
This is Maede Hojabri, a 17 yr old #Iranian who got arrested in #Iran 4 dancing to songs on social media. Her accs were closed. She's out on bail with a ban never 2 dance again online.#MaedehHojabri #FreeIran @realDonaldTrump @nytimes @AmnestyIran @FoxNews @UNHumanRights pic.twitter.com/StSlOeK7E6
— Persianbdr (@Persianbdr) July 8, 2018
Solidarity with teenage dancer #MaedehHojabri Iranian women's are uploading their own dancing videos.
Maedeh Hojabri, who was arrested and forced to confess on TV because she posted videos of herself dancing. pic.twitter.com/tIEhfXJtil
— Ashraf Sherjan (@ASJBaloch) July 8, 2018
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