Dancing Iranian Couple Sentenced To 10 Years In Jail

An Iranian couple, Astiyazh Haghighi and Amir Mohammad Ahmadi received prison sentences of more than 10 years after appearing in a video where they danced in front of a Tehran landmark.

The young couple was arrested in November 2022 after footage of their dance at the Azadi Tower went viral.

Haghighi defied Iran's strict dress code and went without a headscarf. Women in Iran are additionally precluded from public dancing and singing, especially in the company of a man.

The video showed the young couple dancing romantically together in front of Azadi Tower.

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Dancing Iranian Couple Arrested

The couple was already popular on social networking sites and known for being Instagram bloggers at the time of the incident. The video of them dancing was seen as a symbol of the nationwide protests that sparked after Mahsa Amini's death.

The couple was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison. The US-based rights group, the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that the couple also faced a ban on using the country and leaving the country.

HRANA said the couple was convicted of "encouraging corruption and public prostitution" and "gathering with the intention of disrupting national security".

Reportedly, Haghighi and Ahmadi were accused of conspiring to undermine national security and engaging in anti-regime propaganda.

HRANA also cited sources close to the family who alleged that the two young Iranians were deprived of lawyers during the court proceedings and that attempts to secure their release on bail were rejected.

Reportedly, Haghighi is now in Qarcgak prison for women, outside Tehran. The condition of the prison is regularly condemned by activists.

The United Nations reported that at least 14,000 individuals have been arrested in the crackdown against the protests.