The Cyber Police of Greater Tehran claimed to have arrested 12 individuals for selling clothing related to the month of Muharram that was deemed 'unconventional and offensive.' Davood Moazami Goudarzi, the head of Cyber Police in Greater Tehran, stated on Monday, July 24, that these arrests were connected to online sales of clothing on 'more than 15 pages' on Instagram, which were considered 'unconventional' and 'offensive' towards 'Muharram and the Imams.' He alleged that the designs of these clothes included 'promotion of drugs, alcoholic beverages, satanic rituals, and deviant sects.' According to reports from Iranian news agencies, this police official also announced actions against 'four production units' in the Tehran market, stating that 12 individuals were arrested in connection with 'more than 15 pages' on Instagram with 800,000 followers, and 'several thousand types of unconventional clothing' were confiscated. Moazami Goudarzi characterized this action as a response to 'exploitation of national-religious sentiments for personal gain' and warned that the police would take action against what he termed 'insults to sacred values in cyberspace.' Previous reports indicated that in recent years, the fashion market for clothing and beauty specifically for women and men during Muharram, referred to as 'Ashura fashion,' has been thriving. According to reports received by VOA, on the evening of Thursday, July 20, coinciding with the third night of Muharram, IRGC officials stated that 'it is the month of Muharram,' and they forcibly removed tourists from the Opert resort at the border of Semnan and Mazandaran provinces using 'beatings' and 'batons, tasers, and kicks.' The intensified crackdown on citizens during this year's Muharram comes as some social media users compare the repression and killings of peaceful protesters by the Islamic Republic to the narrative of Ashura, sharing images of recent victims. Notably, Ali Karimi, a famous footballer opposed to the Islamic Republic, referred to a video of government forces' violence against protesters as a 'visual mourning' and wrote on Instagram: 'This is not Karbala; this is our own Iran. It is not about 14 centuries ago; it is about last year.'
Cyber Police Arrests 12 for Selling 'Unconventional and Offensive' Clothing
The Cyber Police in Tehran arrested 12 individuals for selling clothing deemed offensive during the religious month of Muharram. This crackdown reflects ongoing tensions in Iran regarding religious sentiment and personal expression, particularly in the context of recent protests. The situation underscores the government's efforts to control public behavior and expression during significant religious periods.
👥 Key Players
⚡ Actions
📰 What Happened
Cyber Police arrested 12 for selling offensive clothing related to Muharram in Tehran.
- Cyber Police of Greater Tehran arrest 12 individuals
- Cyber Police of Greater Tehran seize several thousand types of unconventional clothing
- Davood Moazami Goudarzi announce public
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The arrests signify a broader crackdown on freedom of expression in Iran.
📝 Key Evidence
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%