Iran's Law Enforcement Detains Dozens of Citizens and 'Three Europeans' on Charges of 'Satanism'

The Islamic Republic's law enforcement announced the detention of 261 individuals, including three European citizens, in Shahriar County, Tehran Province, claiming that the detainees are 'members of a satanic network.' The Public Relations Center of the Islamic Republic's Law Enforcement, Faraja, stated in a notice that 146 men and 115 women were arrested on Thursday evening, May 17, during a 'satanic gathering.' Iranian officials have yet to provide a clear definition of the charge of 'satanism,' and in recent years, some heavy metal musicians have been punished for 'promoting satanism.' The Tasnim news agency, close to intelligence agencies, reported that the detainees were present 'naked and obscene.' However, the agency contradicted its claim about the 'nakedness' of the detainees, stating that they had 'symbols and signs of satanism' on their clothing and faces. According to this report, law enforcement agents also seized 73 vehicles and confiscated 'satanic symbols,' alcoholic beverages, and psychoactive substances. No reference was made to the identity or nationality of the three detained European citizens. Over the past four decades, the Islamic Republic has repeatedly violated the civil rights of citizens under various pretexts, often imprisoning them on charges that have not been fairly examined in courts. The detention of foreign citizens has also become a tool for the Islamic Republic to gain leverage over other countries, according to observers and Western nations.