35 Young Men and Women in Qazvin Whipped for Attending a Party

Iranian judicial officials reported the arrest of 35 young men and women in Qazvin for attending a party and their immediate punishment with 99 lashes. The state-run news agency Mizan, affiliated with Iran's judiciary, reported on Thursday, June 6, quoting Ismail Sadeqi Niyarki, the public and revolutionary prosecutor of Qazvin, that the detainees had gathered for a graduation celebration at a villa near Qazvin and engaged in 'dancing and revelry' in a mixed-gender setting. This judicial official accused the detainees of 'norm-breaking' and stated that the court held an extraordinary session to address their case, sentencing each to 99 lashes, which was executed the same day. In recent days, Iranian domestic news agencies have reported multiple instances of police raids on parties attended by young men and women and their arrests. Just two days before the arrest of these young people in Qazvin, the prosecutor's office in Kerman had reported the arrest of 23 individuals at another party. The charges brought against these 23 individuals by the public and revolutionary prosecutor of Kerman included 'drinking alcohol' and 'mixed dancing in inappropriate attire.' In mid-May, Mizan also reported the arrest of 'seven famous cinema actors' at a 'night party' in northern Tehran. However, these reports have provided less information about the sentences issued to the accused. Meanwhile, the prosecutor of Qazvin defended the execution of the 99 lashes for the detainees at the villa party, stating that this punishment was carried out by the moral security police 'to serve as a lesson for those who engage in norm-breaking and create a private space for their deviant behaviors.' He concluded by stating: 'We have issued serious warnings through various platforms, especially the media, regarding the transgressions of some youths, and we will not allow anyone to distort the Islamic atmosphere of the city and society with their criminal actions.'