Tehran Prosecutor Files Case Against Mayor and Organizers of Women's Day Event at Milad Tower

Following the objections of conservatives to the Women's Day event at Milad Tower and the performance of young girls dancing at this event, the Tehran prosecutor announced the summons of Mohammad Ali Najafi, the mayor of Tehran, to the prosecutor's office. Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, on Saturday, March 10, reiterated his stance against the Women's Day event at Milad Tower, calling the performance of the girls 'vulgar' and stating that Islam opposes it. He stated: 'Some are trying to justify it by saying that the dance was performed by a few children or that joy is not forbidden in Islam and therefore is not problematic; these justifications are baseless because Islam does not oppose joy but certainly opposes vulgarity.' He then mentioned that following a letter from the Attorney General and a report from the head of the Guidance Prosecutor's Office, a case has been opened against Mohammad Ali Najafi and the organizers of this event in the Tehran prosecutor's office, and even on Saturday, investigations were conducted with the mayor of Tehran. Previously, Mohammad Jafar Montazeri, the Attorney General, had called for legal action against the officials of this event and referred to the dance of young girls as acts 'against public decency.' The mayor of Tehran, who was also present at this event, wrote on Twitter following the attacks from conservatives and judicial officials, emphasizing in a directive to all Tehran municipality colleagues that they are obliged to 'observe decorum and values in the execution of cultural and artistic programs.' Conservative media, including the Tasnim news agency close to the Revolutionary Guards, reported without mentioning the age of the performers that 'a few girls' went on stage and danced in front of the mayor of Tehran. However, the Iran newspaper, a state-owned media outlet, published a photo of the performers and stated that 'these girls performed at the municipality's event, but the alarmists claimed that women danced in the presence of men!' However, the Tehran prosecutor stated that the mayor should have prevented this performance from taking place. Mr. Jafari Dolatabadi said: 'Firstly, according to the investigations conducted, the mayor of Tehran had prior knowledge of the event; secondly, even if he was unaware, he was obliged to prevent the continuation of the event in that manner or to leave the meeting in protest; and thirdly, such structural violations, as reported, are considered vulgar, especially since it was at an official event of a public organization and funded by the municipality.' He ultimately called on the Tehran City Council to exercise greater oversight over the municipality and the mayor's performance.