Reactions to the Arrest of Zara Esmaeili; Gol-Azin: The Islamic Republic Cannot Silence the Voices of Iranian Women

The arrest of Zara Esmaeili, a young female artist who sang in public places in Tehran and Karaj without mandatory hijab, has sparked significant reactions among Iranians. A few days after her arrest, on Thursday, August 9, the judiciary of the Islamic Republic also blocked this singer's Instagram account. The page was marked with the emblem of the judiciary along with the message 'according to a judicial order.' Gol-Azin, an Iranian singer known by her stage name 'Gola,' is one of the artists condemning Zara's arrest by the Islamic Republic. She told Voice of America that the reason for the closure of this singer's Instagram account was increased pressure during her detention. According to Gol-Azin, the Islamic Republic cannot silence the voices of Iranian women, and they will be each other's voices, singing and protesting. She adds that this struggle will continue until Iranian women can express themselves freely. Gol-Azin states that the fight of Iranian women and girls against the 'criminal regime of the Islamic Republic' for their natural rights will not stop, and this government cannot erase their voices. She urges everyone to be the voice of Zara, share her story with others, and help change this inhumane trend. Gol-Azin emphasizes that singing is a natural and simple right in many countries around the world, but in Iran, the Islamic Republic has deprived Iranian women and girls of this right for years. She adds that the government fears the power of women and recognizes the power of music to change awareness, which is why it has taken away this simple right of singing from women so they cannot express their emotions and feelings. Gol-Azin mentions that due to the lack of this right, she was forced to leave Iran, a country she loves dearly, along with her family and friends, and she has faced many challenges to be able to work in the music industry outside of Iran. She emphasizes that throughout this time, she has tried to be the voice of Iranian women and girls so that they can sing in the future and no woman's voice is silenced. Zara Esmaeili, a young artist who performed in public without mandatory hijab, has been arrested. Zara Esmaeili, a 29-year-old artist residing in Karaj, attracted attention with her performances in public places and was frequently shared on social media. This young artist had many performances in Ekbatan Town, Bagh Ferdows in Tehran, and the metro. The powerful voice of this young artist and her performances of songs by Haydeh and Amy Winehouse, a British singer, were very well received by the public. Previously, the Harana website, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, reported, citing a source close to Zara Esmaeili's family, that she was arrested on August 5 at her home by security forces, and her family has no information about the reason for her arrest, the charges, or even her place of detention. The closure of Zara Esmaeili's Instagram account by the judiciary of the Islamic Republic occurred amidst the arrest of at least 92 Iranian citizens by the Islamic Republic in one month; 22 of them are women. Harana: Zara Esmaeili, a young artist, was arrested 9 days ago, and her family still has no information about her place of detention.