Fars Judiciary's Response to Narenjestan Case Controversies; No Complaint Filed Against 'Lady Promoter of Virtue'

The controversies surrounding the altercation in Narenjestan, Shiraz, over the conduct of a 'promoter of virtue' who objected to the attire of several women in the area and faced backlash from a man accompanying them continue. The incident, which led to the immediate intervention of law enforcement and judicial authorities, resulted in a sentence of 'lashes, exile, and monetary fines' for the accused who clashed with the 'promoter of virtue.' Following the issuance of this sentence, the newspaper 'Farhikhtegan' published a report questioning the official government narrative of the incident, blaming the 'promoter of virtue' for instigating the 'altercation' and calling for the release of surveillance footage from the scene. This report faced backlash from media outlets close to security agencies, and yesterday, Fars News Agency published a report labeling the newspaper's account as 'fake,' releasing an interview video with a veiled woman who allegedly is the 'promoter of virtue.' In the video, the veiled woman speaks of her respectful behavior and denies any 'violent' actions on her part. Amid these controversies, today, the Fars Judiciary issued a statement dismissing reports about the case as 'speculations and uninformed claims under the guise of hearsay and possibilities.' The Fars Judiciary claimed that 'the judicial system, based on the documents and contents of the case, has pursued the matter independently, away from any emotional atmosphere or created distractions.' The claim of 'independence' in the judicial process comes despite Kazem Mousavi, the Chief Justice of Fars, emphasizing on August 1 the 'strong support of the judiciary for promoters of virtue' and ordering the provincial prosecutor to handle the case urgently and inform the public about the proceedings. A few days later, the Chief Justice announced that the accused is currently in temporary detention in a 'military prison' and stated: 'Three rulings have been issued regarding the Narenjestan incident, including exile, lashes, and heavy fines.' This judicial official stressed that 'we take the matter of promoting virtue very seriously so that no one dares to do such a thing.' In today's statement, the Fars Judiciary, without mentioning the current status of the accused, who was still in prison at least until the publication of Farhikhtegan's report, announced its 'readiness to fully address other aspects of this case, but so far no counter-complaint has been filed by the other party in the case (the assailant or his family) against the lady promoter of virtue in the judicial system of Fars.' The statement concluded with the expectation that 'the handling of this case should be characterized by legal precision and demands from the judiciary for the execution of justice and law.' Recently, a video circulated on social media showing a physical altercation between a man and a 'veiled woman' in Narenjestan, Shiraz. In it, the veiled woman protests to several other women whom she believes are not properly adhering to mandatory hijab, and as the altercation escalates, a man present at the scene confronts the veiled woman and a physical confrontation ensues. In the initial ruling, the man who clashed with the 'promoter of virtue' was sentenced to 74 lashes, 2 years of exile, and a total of 500 million rials in monetary fines 'instead of imprisonment' for charges of 'insult, assault, and creating disturbance for the lady promoter of virtue.' The manager of the Narenjestan complex was also sentenced to 2 years of suspension from public service, which has been suspended for 2 years.