The Qazvin prosecutor, Esmail Sadeghi Niaraki, described the women as “half naked,” meaning they were not wearing Islamic coverings, scarves and long coats. They were arrested while “dancing and jubilating” after the authorities received a report that a party attended both by men and women was being held in a villa on the outskirts of Qazvin.
Mixed-gender parties, dancing and the consumption of alcohol are illegal in Iran, although they have become common over the past decade, especially in cities. The raids were carried out over a 48-hour period, after the authorities monitored for several weeks 58 homes in which single people were believed to be living.
Mixing between genders is severely restricted
and Mr Niaraki said the case “once again required a firm response by the
judiciary in quickly reviewing and implementing the law. We hope this will
be a lesson for those who break Islamic norms in private places”.
Additionally, last week eight people
were arrested because they were involved in online modeling without their
headscarves, and a former model was questioned on television. A blogger was
arrested, and prominent actors and actresses, who have huge social media
followings in Iran, were given warnings about adhering to Islamic dress code
and “Islamic behavior.”
Mr Niaraki added that the judiciary would not
tolerate “lawbreakers who use excuses such as freedom and having fun in
birthday parties and graduation ceremonies”.
He warned that being arrested for attending
mixed-gender parties could “create problems for their future education and
employment”.
Iran has continued to be accused of
widespread human rights abuses despite the lifting of sanctions against the
regime by the West in exchange for halting its nuclear program.
Since President Rouhani came to power in
2013, he has presided over the execution of more than 1,800 people as well as
public beatings, flogging and amputations, according to human rights groups.
