Raiding private ceremonies and night parties by the police has reached new dimensions in Iran.

The most recent cases were arresting 34 girls and boys at a night party in Southwestern province of Khuzestan as well as organizers of another one in Tehran.

Khuzestan revolutionary prosecutor-general announced on Sunday March 5 that 14 girls and 20 boys have been arrested at a night party in the province.

A day before the police in Khuzestan raided a night party, Western Tehran Police Chief announced that police had raided a hen party.

Mohsen Khancharli said that “some people had advertised in social media, inviting ‘notorious’ women to attend a so-called special ‘get-together party’ held at a garden hall in western Tehran.”

Western Tehran Police Chief, however, didn’t explain what he meant by ‘special party’ and ‘notorious’ women’.

The organizers of the party have been arrested during the police raid, lawsuits have been filed against them, and the venue where the party was held has also been shut down.

Khancharli had also announced on July 25 this year that 150 young girls and boys were arrested at a party in Eslamshahr.

Raiding private parties and ceremonies by the police has reached new dimensions this year, with lash punishment being administered in some cases. In a recent raid carried out by the so-called ‘morality police’, announced on March 3, 30 people were arrested at a party in Ahwaz.

Also on March 2, the ‘enjoining good’ officials in Fars province had announced that 14 girls and boys were arrested in the city of Sepidan.

Earlier on February 25, it was announced that 44 women and men were arrested at a party in Mashhad. Hassan Haydari, head of Mashhad General and Revolutionary court, called the organizer of the party ‘leader of a group of thugs’ who under the guise of a birthday party had gathered a number of women and men in the place.

Also Urmia Chief of Police announced on December 24, 2016, that 40 girls and boys were arrested at a night party in the city.

Hossein Samadpour said that “after obtaining the necessary warrant issued by judicial authorities, law enforcement forces responsible for fighting against social evils entered the … house and arrested 40 single girls and boys for participating in an illegal, mix-gender party.” The detainees were brought to court after lawsuits were filed against them, said Urmia Chief of Police .

Also Iranian media had reported late December on 11 girls and 7 boys being arrested at a mix-gender party in Khorasan-Razavi province. At the same time, 54 young girls and boys were also arrested at a night party in Abadan.

On December 14, 2016, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, Tehran prosecutor, announced that 120 women and men were arrested in a coffee shop in Tehran. He accused the detainees of ‘corruption’, saying that they have been sent to prison after issuing subpoenas.

Also 23 girls and boys were arrested in a mix-gender party held in a garden in Dezful.

On May 26, 2016, Iranian regime’s Judiciary website had announced that 35 girls and boys were arrested at a night party in Qazvin. The state-run Mizan website quoted ‘Esmaeil Sadeghi Niaraki’, Qazvin revolutionary prosecutor-general, as saying that the detainees ‘were dancing in a ceremony held under the guise of graduation party’ when they were arrested and punished.

‘Interrogation, investigation, trial, sentencing and implementing the court ruling’ were all done in less than 24 hours, with each of the detainees being lashed 99 times a day after they were arrested.

Shortly after the students were lashed, a German government official responsible for human rights ‘Berbel Koffler’ criticized the Iranian regime’s judiciary, describing its behavior with Iranian youth as ‘inhumane and cruel’.

Mrs. Koffler said that with judiciary rushing into trying and punishing the 35 young students, there’s serious doubts over the law and basic rights being respected during their trial.

Police raids are not just limited to night parties, but wedding ceremonies, birthday celebrations and family events have also been recently targeted by the police.

An emphasis by Iranian regime’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei on fighting against what he calls ‘social harms’, is believed to be the reason for increased cases of raids and arrests by regime’s law enforcement and security organizations.

Iranian regime’s law enforcement behavior has been frequently criticized by human rights organization, including the Amnesty International, which criticized last week the arrest of Iranian citizens and issuing flogging sentence for some of them for attending parties.’

Source: / ncr-iran /