Chief Justice's Recommendation for 'Cultural Care' of Athletes and Artists

Gholamhossein Esmaeili, the Chief Justice of Tehran Province, said on Wednesday that 'cultural care' for the country's athletes and artists must be increased and suggested that the Crime Prevention Department of the Judiciary should enter this area. Mr. Esmaeili stated that Iranian athletes and artists are exposed to 'many harms' and must 'vaccinate' themselves against these harms. According to this judicial official, if 'activists in the fields of sports and art do not vaccinate themselves against harms, they will not only harm themselves but also damage the culture of society.' He also expressed regret that some sports and artistic organizations in the country have not acted 'appropriately' in the area of 'enhancing religious beliefs' and stated that 'sports and artistic activities require a very strong and solid cultural attachment.' This judicial official referred to the Judiciary's approach to 'crimes' committed by artists and athletes and added that 'when determining punishments for those active in the fields of art and sports, the character of the offender should also be taken into account.' Mr. Esmaeili also mentioned that 'more actions must be taken in the area of crime prevention among artists and athletes,' and the Crime Prevention Department of the Judiciary should address this issue. Mr. Esmaeili did not provide further details on how the Crime Prevention Department of the Judiciary would increase 'cultural care' for artists and athletes. The deaths of two football players in the past year in Iran and the arrest of seven actors at a nighttime party in Tehran have prompted reactions from some judicial officials. In this context, on May 5, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, the Tehran Prosecutor, expressed regret over the death of an athlete in Iran following the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Mr. Dolatabadi stated, 'We are warning the Ministry of Sports about the crime of drinking alcohol by some, which unfortunately has recently led to some incidents and even deaths.' Last year, Sosha Makani, the goalkeeper of Tehran's Persepolis team, was arrested for a period following the publication of his private photos on social media. The sensitivity of the Islamic Republic's security institutions to the behavior of actors and athletes in Iran has increased due to their growing presence on social media, and the scope of their actions against them has also expanded.