The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) has reported that over 60 boys and girls were arrested for attending a mixed-gender party. This happened in Sorkheh Hesar National Park near Tehran said the Fars news agency which is affiliated to the regime’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), on Tuesday, August 16.
The arrests were carried out by the IRGC’s para-military Bassij force. The young people were enjoying themselves at a party and state-media reports that the young women were in violation of the regime’s so-called Islamic dress code. An individual identified only as Fariborz G. is apparently responsible for organising the “unlawful” event on social media.
Commenting on this recent spate of arrests for the same type of activity, Shahin Gobadi of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), said: “The clerical regime has never been so isolated at home and loathed by the Iranian people, in particular by the youth and women. As such, it is resorting to more and more repressive measures to confront this growing trend. This once again proves that the notion of moderation under Hassan Rouhani is a total myth. But it also indicates the vulnerable and shaky state of a regime that cannot even tolerate private festivities of the people, particularly the youth. It is becoming more evident that the mullahs are totally paranoid of any social gathering in fear of a popular uprising.”
During the month of July 150 young people were arrested by the regime for being at a mixed-gender birthday party.
The regime’s forces announced that during the summer the police surveillance of areas such as public gardens will be stepped up.
Just days before this incident, another group of 50 young people were arrested for attending a party that was organised on social media.
Mojtaba Vahedi, the head of the regime’s judiciary in Damavand, said: “Families must be more vigilant regarding their children to make sure they do not end up in such circumstances.”
In May, around 35 young people were flogged for going to a mixed-gender graduation party. They were arrested and the following morning they received 99 lashes.
The NCRI comments that “similar raids have been carried out on mixed-gender parties across Iran in recent months”.
