Maedeh Hojabri: Iran women dance in support of arrested teen
Image copyright Maedeh Hozhabri/Instagram Women in Iran have posted videos of themselves dancing online, in support of a teenager who was arrested.
Maedeh Hojabri had gathered thousands of followers on Instagram with videos of herself dancing to Iranian and Western pop music.
On Friday, state TV broadcast Ms Hojabri's apparent confession.
Social media users shared videos and messages supporting the young dancer, using hashtags such as one that translates as #dancing_isn't_a_crime.
The Iranian government has strict rules governing women's clothing and dancing with members of the opposite sex in public is banned, except in front of immediate family members.
Ms Hojabri's videos showed her dancing at home without the mandatory headscarf, or hijab.
Skip Instagram post by maedeh_hozhabri
چیو باید اعتراف کرد؟ بابت لرزوندن سینه از کی خط گرفتی؟؟ چگونه قر کمر رو وارد کشور میکردین؟؟ هم دستات تو سبک باباکرم کیا بودن؟؟؟
A post shared by MahiMaedeh (@maedeh_hozhabri) on
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End of Instagram post by maedeh_hozhabri
Image Copyright maedeh_hozhabri maedeh_hozhabri Several other dancers have reportedly also been arrested in recent weeks.
Blogger Hossein Ronaghi commented: "If you told people anywhere in the world that 17 and 18-year-old girls are arrested for their dance, happiness and beauty on charges of spreading indecency, while child rapists and others are free, they would laugh! Because for them, it's unbelievable!"
Skip Twitter post by @HosseinRonaghi
هر جای دنیا بگویی که دختران ۱۷ و ۱۸ ساله را بخاطر رقص، شادی و زیبایی‌شان به جرم اشاعه فحشا بازداشت و زندانی کردند و در مقابل متجاوزان به کودکان و ... آزاد هستند، می‌خندند! چون برای‌شان باور پذیر نیست!#مائده_هژبری #رقص#آزادی pic.twitter.com/skkYw0gVGt
— Hossein Ronaghi (@HosseinRonaghi) July 7, 2018
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End of Twitter post by @HosseinRonaghi
Skip Twitter post by @AlinejadMasih
I dance in a public park in Tehran to support Maedeh the 19 year old girl who got arrested for dancing.
در پارک هنرمندان بدون‌حجاب اجباری رقصیدم ولی نوازنده نگران اینکه بساطش جمع بشه با عذرخواهی آهنگ رو قطع کرد.
برای حمایت از #مائده_هژبری بیا #برقص_تا_برقصیم pic.twitter.com/8JtGU4QOzI— Masih Alinejad
(@AlinejadMasih) July 7, 2018
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End of Twitter post by @AlinejadMasih
One Twitter user wrote: "I'm dancing so that they [the authorities] see and know that they cannot take away our happiness and hope by arresting teenagers and (girls like) Maedeh."
Skip Twitter post by @dashmamush2014
میرقصم تا ببیند و بدانند با گرفتن نوجوان‌ها و مائده ها نمی‌توانند شادی و امید را از ما بگیرند و ما امید به دیدن ایرانی آزاد،شاد و با آینده روشن داریم.#مائده_هژبری #برقص_تا_برقصیم #westandtogether#westandwithpahlavi
ریتوییت لطفا تا همه ببینندpic.twitter.com/oGsWPSETGL
— داش مَموشی (@dashmamush2014) July 8, 2018
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End of Twitter post by @dashmamush2014
This is not the first time dancers in Iran have been arrested for dancing.
- How do Iranians defy the internet censors?
Earlier this year, an official in the city of Mashhad was arrested after footage emerged showing a crowd of men and women dancing at a mall in the city, while six people were arrested for Zumba dancing in August.
In 2014, six young Iranians who posted a video of themselves dancing to Pharrell Williams' hit song Happy on the streets and rooftops of Tehran were given suspended sentences of up to one year in prison and 91 lashes.
