Iran's Attorney General Threatens Popular Figures, Calls Civil Disobedience a 'Manifest Crime'

Mohammad Mohammadi Azad, the Attorney General of the Islamic Republic, on Sunday, September 9, reacted to the civil disobedience of artists and athletes by stating that 'some actions by certain figures in public are tantamount to violating public decency and committing unlawful acts' and threatened that such actions are 'manifest crimes.' According to reports from state media, Mohammadi Azad, in protest of what he described as 'the actions of figures in public,' called on the Cyber Police and 'agents' to 'immediately gather evidence and documents of the crime and report them to the local prosecutor' and emphasized that 'legal action should be taken against them promptly.' This emphasis by Mohammadi Azad on criminalizing the presence of celebrities and well-known individuals coincides with his praise for 'Sadegh Bit-Sayah,' a national javelin thrower at the Paris Paralympics, and his reference to the withdrawal of this athlete's gold medal 'due to the display of a mourning flag.' This reaction has been interpreted by some users on X as an attempt to 'pit celebrities against athletes.' In a meeting of the 'Council of Deputies,' Mohammadi Azad stressed the 'situation of smuggling, especially fuel and drugs,' stating that 'relevant headquarters' should work more actively to arrest these citizens, who often face the death penalty. Mohammadi Azad has repeatedly emphasized the implementation of the 'Noor Plan' and the criminalization of virtual activities through issued directives. Previously, alongside the release of photographic reports of police violence against women to suppress voluntary dress, the Attorney General supported the 'Noor Plan' and claimed that 45 years is not a long time for 'cultural development' and that 'social anomalies' stem from the 'unveiling law' of Reza Shah. The withdrawal of the gold medal from the Iranian athlete at the Paralympics; two yellow cards following unathletic celebrations. A newspaper reported the confidentiality of statistics related to 'child marriage'; an 8% decrease in birth rates over two years. Efforts by security agents to arrest the sister of Hadith Najafi.