Temporary Arrest and Release of Digikala CEO on February 11 for Insulting 'Fatimah Zahra'

The chairman of the board of Digikala announced on Sunday the temporary arrest of Masoud Tabatabai, the CEO of the company, on February 11, and his release after several hours. Hamid Mohammadi wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) account: 'This afternoon, on February 11, Masoud Tabatabai, the CEO of Digikala, was arrested by the security prosecutor's order despite the explanations and efforts made in recent days to clarify misunderstandings.' He later announced that Mr. Tabatabai had been 'temporarily' released and must go to the prosecutor's office on Tuesday morning. Following several days of media controversy among some supporters of the Islamic Republic regarding the sale of mugs named 'Fatimah Zahra,' the judiciary announced on February 8 that it had filed a complaint against the online store Digikala for what it called 'offensive advertisements and images' and opened a case against the company. The judiciary did not specify which advertisements were considered 'offensive,' but some government-affiliated users claimed that the writings and images on several products, including ceramic mugs, were 'insulting to prophets and the infallible.' These ceramic mugs or 'mugs' featured some humorous themes with the name 'Fatimah Zahra' inscribed on them. Supporters of the Islamic government believe these texts insult 'Fatimah Zahra,' the daughter of the Prophet of Islam. Earlier this summer, Digikala faced the closure of two of its offices due to the optional dress code of some female employees, but these offices were reopened after the company managers declared their 'commitment to complying with the laws and regulations' of the Islamic Republic. Digikala is the largest online store in Iran, established in the winter of 2006.