Collection of Five Million 'Unauthorized' CDs and Arrest of 450 Individuals

The Iranian police announced the collection of five million and 500 thousand 'unauthorized' CDs, the identification of 27 'gangs' distributing these CDs, and the arrest of 450 individuals in this regard. According to a report on Wednesday, January 30, the police website stated that Qader Karimi, the deputy commander of Greater Tehran Police, announced that 'these CDs have been collected in a joint operation of the police and the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance that began in September.' This police official stated that in the past five months, at least 'three million unauthorized CDs' of films currently being screened have been discovered in the operation 'against the reproduction and distribution of vulgar CDs.' According to the police, in the second phase of this operation, agents identified and arrested 450 individuals involved in the reproduction and distribution of 'anti-cultural' products around schools, educational centers, and universities. As this police commander stated, 'all' those arrested had 'criminal records' and 'after confessing to their crimes and completing their files, they were handed over to judicial authorities.' The reproduction, distribution, and sale of many foreign films are prohibited in Iran; however, enthusiasts acquire these films from underground networks distributing them in streets, cafes, schools, universities, and educational centers. The Iranian police have conducted dozens of extensive operations to combat the growing trend of distributing and watching foreign films in Iran, resulting in the destruction of millions of CD copies. According to the laws of the Islamic Republic, individuals involved in the production, distribution, and reproduction of unauthorized audio-visual works face a one-year prison sentence initially, and if repeated, they can be sentenced to two to five years in prison. According to the definition by the police and the judiciary, 'vulgar cultural works include items that contain obscene scenes and promote themes contrary to Islamic law and ethics.' Despite the punitive policies that have been intensified in recent years, the reproduction and distribution of 'vulgar' and 'unauthorized' films and CDs in Iran have significantly increased. In November 2013, Hossein Sajedi-Nia, the head of Tehran police, reported the discovery of 11 million 'unauthorized CDs' in Tehran, stating that the discoveries in this area had increased twenty-fold compared to the previous year.