Prosecutor: 27 Arrested for Organizing 'Satanic Parties' in Torghabeh and Shandiz

Javad Shakeri, the public and revolutionary prosecutor of Torghabeh and Shandiz, announced the arrest of 27 individuals involved in organizing 'satanic parties' in this county. According to a report on Wednesday (March 10), Shakeri stated that these individuals were apprehended through 'intelligence monitoring by agents' in cyberspace and 'various police tactics.' He described the charges against some of the defendants as 'facilitating corruption,' which carries 'severe penalties.' Shakeri mentioned that an individual named 'Reza Online' had been organizing mixed parties via mobile social networks, where some women and girls were 'deceived and exploited.' He added that this individual had established groups on social media with titles like 'Open Party,' 'Reza Online for Everyone,' and 'Reza Online Everywhere,' providing facilities, equipment, and villas for holding these satanic gatherings. The public and revolutionary prosecutor of Torghabeh and Shandiz identified the locations of these parties as 'villas in Torghabeh and Shandiz and surrounding cities' and noted that the organizers 'exploited some women and girls by providing various entertainment supplies.' He also stated that besides 'Reza Online,' other individuals named 'VIP' and 'Delta' were members of this 'gang,' and after a judicial order was issued, law enforcement officers arrested 27 of them. Shakeri also mentioned that photos of the detainees were found in mixed swimming pools, and some women attending the parties claimed they had willingly posed for photos alongside 'Reza Online.' While numerous reports of police, Basij, and other security and intelligence agencies cracking down on private parties in Iran are published annually, Javad Shakeri claimed that 'the judiciary is not against people's joy.' He added, however, that this does not mean that 'a few rule-breakers... under the guise of freedom and entertainment can deceive and exploit the daughters of the people or commit other crimes such as consuming alcoholic beverages, gambling, mixed dancing and celebrations, and then take photos and videos of such filthy acts.' The public and revolutionary prosecutor of Torghabeh and Shandiz warned that the prosecutor's office in this county will continue to 'take decisive action against rule-breakers and security threats.' On January 16, 2015, Basij forces also arrested 84 individuals during a raid on a celebration in Mashhad and handed them over to judicial authorities. Following this action, the Basij announced that these individuals were engaged in mixed dancing at the time of their arrest. According to the Basij's report from the celebration venue, five bottles of alcoholic beverages and three decks of cards were discovered and confiscated. In a related context, after Mashhad, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps arrested 20 girls and boys in Amol.