Iranian Teen Maedeh Hojabri Arrested for Posting Dance Videos on Instagram

Iranian teen celebrity and dancer Maedeh Hojabri has been arrested for uploading dance videos of herself on Instagram. In protest to the arrest, many Iranian women uploaded videos of themselves dancing on social media.

The 17-18-year-old teenage girl was arrested for sharing videos of herself dancing at home with her followers on social media. She danced to Iranian and Western music. Apparently dancing in front of a man is strictly prohibited in Iran except if the male observers are close family members. Hojabri became quite popular online and gained a celebrity status for posting her dance videos and eventually gained a lot of followers. After the arrest, the young gymnast seemed to be in distress when she spoke in a video “I had some followers, and these videos were for them. I did not have any intention to encourage others doing the same.... I didn’t work with a team; I received no training. I only do gymnastics”, guardian paper quoted her saying on Iranian state TV.

The teenager explained that her aim was only to gain more followers. Hojabri posted around 300 videos on Instagram which showed her dancing to Iranian and western music. In many videos, she’s seen adorning western clothes. The good-looking teen sports a short hairstyle without wearing the obligatory headscarf.  According to Associated Press, Hojabri was later released on bail.

Women of Iran protest against the arrest

In protest to the arrest, some Iranian women posted dancing videos of themselves on social media using hashtag #dancing_ isn’t a_crime. They are against the strict modesty laws that are applied to them, and they believe it is a restriction on their freedom of expression. Some of them have been seen performing on dance forms such as the Australian shuffle on the streets. “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”, said one supporter. In 2014, an Iranian woman danced publicly on a Tehran metro. Even in 2014, a similar incident resembling Hojabri’s case took place in which six young Iranians were arrested for producing a video based on Pharrell Williams’ song “Happy.”

Though the video went viral, it sparked anger among Iranian conservatives. The youngsters admitted that they were tricked into making the video and later they were released. If they were to be punished they would have served one year in prison and received 91 lashes. Last year, four men and women were detained for teaching Zumba- the Columbian fitness routine. The authorities came to know about the dance form being taught when the group posted dancing videos of themselves on Instagram and other social media platforms. The charges brought against the group were that they were seeking to change Iranian lifestyle and the promotion of lack of Hijab (Headscarf.)

The Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said that he could work on opening up the restrictive official internet, however, the online laws are enforced by the judiciary who are religious hardliners. Iranian women are risking their lives by using dancing as a form to protest the strict modesty laws applied to them. It’s left to be seen if Hojabri’s arrest and protesting women of Iran can dance their way into making social reforms, beneficial to the liberal Iranian ladies.