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‘Happy in Tehran’ Dancers Are Given Suspended Sentences ‘Happy in Tehran’ Dancers Are Given Suspended Sentences
(about 2 hours later)
TEHRAN — A group of young Iranian men and women known as the “Happy in Tehran” dancers, arrested in May for videotaping themselves cavorting to Pharrell Williams’s popular dance hit, were informed on Thursday of their punishments: 91 lashes and six months of imprisonment for each.TEHRAN — A group of young Iranian men and women known as the “Happy in Tehran” dancers, arrested in May for videotaping themselves cavorting to Pharrell Williams’s popular dance hit, were informed on Thursday of their punishments: 91 lashes and six months of imprisonment for each.
One of the female dancers was given a punishment of 91 lashes and 12 months for uploading the video to the Internet, where it caused an international sensation.One of the female dancers was given a punishment of 91 lashes and 12 months for uploading the video to the Internet, where it caused an international sensation.
All of the punishments were suspended, one of the dancers said. But they could be carried out if the six defendants committed further wrongdoing over the next three years, a common form of deterrence in Iran’s judicial system.All of the punishments were suspended, one of the dancers said. But they could be carried out if the six defendants committed further wrongdoing over the next three years, a common form of deterrence in Iran’s judicial system.
An official announcement of the punishments could come on Saturday.An official announcement of the punishments could come on Saturday.
All were convicted of vulgarity and illicit relations because the video showed the female dancers, their heads illegally bared, jumping and jiving with the men. Public dancing is outlawed in Iran. One of the defendants said the prosecutors and judge presiding over the case described the video as pornography.All were convicted of vulgarity and illicit relations because the video showed the female dancers, their heads illegally bared, jumping and jiving with the men. Public dancing is outlawed in Iran. One of the defendants said the prosecutors and judge presiding over the case described the video as pornography.
The video was notable partly because it garnered many views on YouTube around the world, portraying young Iranians to be as fun-loving as their counterparts elsewhere. The arrests of the dancers caused an outcry abroad, including from Mr. Williams and many Iranian Americans.The video was notable partly because it garnered many views on YouTube around the world, portraying young Iranians to be as fun-loving as their counterparts elsewhere. The arrests of the dancers caused an outcry abroad, including from Mr. Williams and many Iranian Americans.
The conservative Islamic authorities in Iran are deeply suspicious of Western influence on the country’s youthful population. The crackdown on the video also was seen as a warning signal to President Hassan Rouhani, who had promised after his election last year to loosen some of the political and cultural strictures imposed in the country.The conservative Islamic authorities in Iran are deeply suspicious of Western influence on the country’s youthful population. The crackdown on the video also was seen as a warning signal to President Hassan Rouhani, who had promised after his election last year to loosen some of the political and cultural strictures imposed in the country.
Mr. Rouhani had indicated his own dismay at the arrests of the dancers, proclaiming in a Twitter message at the time that nobody should be punished for expressing joy.Mr. Rouhani had indicated his own dismay at the arrests of the dancers, proclaiming in a Twitter message at the time that nobody should be punished for expressing joy.
News of the punishments came as Mr. Rouhani was preparing to visit the United Nations General Assembly next week, in what may have been an effort by his more conservative political adversaries to embarrass him.News of the punishments came as Mr. Rouhani was preparing to visit the United Nations General Assembly next week, in what may have been an effort by his more conservative political adversaries to embarrass him.
“It’s hard to say if it’s a coincidence or not,” said Haidi Ghaimi, the executive director of the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, a New York-based advocacy group that has monitored the prosecutions of the dancers. “Our position is that they should never have been punished.” “It’s hard to say if it’s a coincidence or not,” said Hadi Ghaemi, the executive director of the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, a New York-based advocacy group that has monitored the prosecutions of the dancers. “Our position is that they should never have been punished.”