The Iranian musician An ordinary Ahmadi has broken several taboos in the Islamic Republic:
She sang without a headscarf, in a dress and published the concert on YouTube – now the young woman was arrested because of it, as were two members of her band. Her lawyer reported that the singer was arrested in the north of the country and the two musicians were arrested in their music studio in the capital Teheran.
The three were in an unknown place and had no contact with the outside world, the lawyer told the Internet portal “Emtedad”.
People at home and abroad had praised the woman in online media for her courageous initiative. In Iran, many women are dissatisfied with the strict Islamic laws and dress codes. In the fall of 2022, masses took to the streets against repressive policies under the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom,” but the demonstrations were violently suppressed.
Many women in major cities are now defying Islamic dress codes, especially the mandatory headscarf, in protest. The parliament, which is dominated by Islamic hardliners, now wants to take action against this with a new law and draconian penalties.