Judicial Official's Protest Against Concerts; 'Where is Islamic Honor?'

The head of the judiciary in Khorasan Razavi province described the holding of concerts in the province as a 'worthless' issue and criticized the 'situation' surrounding concerts, linking their prevention to 'enjoining good, forbidding wrong, and Islamic honor.' According to Fars News Agency, Ali Mozaffari stated on Friday, June 24, in a speech before the Friday prayer in Mashhad that 'for a long time, the worthless issue of concerts has become a public calamity for some in the province.' He posed the question, 'What problems does the cancellation of concerts create for the province?' and added, 'Do you see the conditions under which concert-like programs are held? Where has enjoining good and forbidding wrong and Islamic honor gone?' Khorasan Razavi province has made headlines in recent months due to the repeated cancellation of music concerts, with the Nishabur prosecutor's office canceling concerts by Shahram Nazeri twice and a concert by Kayhan Kalhor once in recent weeks. Earlier, in April, a traditional music concert by Ali Zand Vakili in Shandiz, Mashhad was also canceled. Hadi Sadeqi, the cultural deputy of the judiciary, implicitly confirmed the ban on concerts in this province in an interview with the Shargh newspaper on Tuesday, June 6. In recent years, following the opposition of Ahmad Alamolhoda, the Friday prayer leader of Mashhad and the current representative of the Supreme Leader in Khorasan Razavi, several concerts in Mashhad and other cities in this province have been canceled. The actions of judicial authorities to prevent some concerts have repeatedly put officials from the executive and judicial branches at odds. For instance, Ali Jannati, the Iranian Minister of Culture, stated on June 6 that the interference of prosecutors is the 'main obstacle' to holding some concerts and mentioned correspondence with officials of this institution to implement licensed concerts. In this context, the head of the judiciary in Khorasan Razavi province, without naming anyone, said, 'A gentleman in the government says he is dissatisfied with the judiciary... for preventing concerts, as people are depressed; it is very regrettable that someone in this position... still does not understand that society is not depressed; one must say you are the one who is depressed.' Mr. Mozaffari emphasized, 'As long as we are not 100% sure that these programs are free from religious violations, we will not allow any to be held in the province.' Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the spokesperson for the Iranian judiciary, also stated on Sunday, June 12, that concerts 'against public morality' will be prevented, announcing that if concert organizers do not commit to this matter, prosecutors will prevent the concerts from being held. Meanwhile, Ahmad Mosjed Jamei, the Minister of Culture in Mohammad Khatami's government, also stated at a speech event: 'Those who are superficial are like ISIS... they are the ones who attack every publication, every newspaper, every concert, every football match, and everywhere.' In recent years, several concerts in Iranian cities have been canceled due to opposition from groups known as 'pressure groups.' Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, has previously stated that 'teaching music and promoting it for teenagers is not compatible with the goals of the Islamic Republic.' Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi, the former head of the Assembly of Experts, also criticized the performance of the Ministry of Culture in the field of music in 2014, asking Ali Jannati to remind the artistic deputy of this ministry that music is forbidden in Islam. In this context, a judicial official stated: 'If the religious aspects are observed, we will not confront concerts.' The Iranian Minister of Culture responded to Ejei: 'The cancellation of concerts does not have security reasons.' The Minister of Culture of Iran stated that some representatives of the leadership are generally opposed to music. Mohseni Ejei stated: 'If organizers do not commit, no concert will be held.' The Minister of Culture stated: 'The interference of prosecutors is the main obstacle to holding concerts.'