Earlier this year in May 2014, Live For Live Music reported on the highly controversial arrest of seven Iranian men and women in Tehran, for filming a video of the group dancing to Pharrell William’s “Happy” in mixed company, and posting it to YouTube. On September 18, 2014, Gawker and CNN reported that six of the rebel dancers were sentenced to six months in prison and 91 lashes each during their time there. The seventh participant, who was responsible for filming the video, was sentenced to one year in prison and 91 lashes.
According to The Daily Beast, the group’s lawyer, Farshid Rofugaran, told IranWire that the sentence was suspended, meaning that the verdict is not carried out during a probationary period unless a similar crime is committed. If that is the case, then the individual or group will face full legal punishment plus the suspended sentence. Additionally, Rofugaran states, “we can accept the verdict or appeal. I will do what my clients want me to do. We are happy that both the prison sentences and the lashes are suspended.”
It appears as if there is still a bit of a disagreement in punishment between Iran president Hassan Rouhani and the Tehran police force. While Rouhani seemed to be on the dancers’ side with his belief that “Happiness is our peoples’ right” and his positive view of the internet, the Tehran police and judiciary have somehow won out and served “justice” for, in the police force’s words, “a vulgar clip which hurt public chastity.”
The video, which now has 1.7 million YouTube views worldwide, is seen as very controversial in Tehran due to dancing in mixed company, without the young women wearing hijabs, and posted to the web for the entire world to see. Yet to any viewers of the western world, the video is not only harmless and sweet, but also a stand against outdated laws. I am not one to judge on the customs and policies of a culture that I am not 100% familiar with but it’s crystal clear that the punishment in this case does not fit the crime. To punish happiness, dancing, and use of technology with at least six months in prison and 91 lashings is archaic and borderline inhumane. Freedom and self-expression through the arts is taken for granted these days. This case should serve as a strong reminder as to why we should continue to fight for free arts and culture. If you don’t continue to fight for it, as these seven creative young adults did, then they may slowly slip away.
Take a look at the video and determine for yourself if the “Happy” dancers are guilty of obscene behavior…
-Marisa Frydman (@musicalmarisa)