60 boys and girls arrested in Iran capital for attending mixed-gender party

 Iran's fundamentalist regime has arrested more than 60 boys and girls for attending a mixed-gender party in a park near the capital Tehran.

The arrests took place during a raid on the party which was held in Tehran's Sorkheh Hesar National Park, east of Tehran, the Fars news agency, affiliated to the regime's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), reported on Tuesday, August 16. The raid was carried out by the IRGC's para-military Bassij force with a warrant from the regime's Judiciary signed by Tehran's deputy prosecutor.

The youngsters were caught dancing and partying, and the state-media report claimed that the young women had violated the regime's so-called Islamic dress code.

The report added that the prime suspect behind the "unlawful" party was an individual, identified only as Fariborz G., who had organized the event via social media on the internet.

Commenting on a recent spate of similar arrests, Shahin Gobadi of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) said:

“The clerical regime has never been so isolated at home and loathed by the Iranian people, in particular by the youth and women. As such, it is resorting to more and more repressive measures to confront this growing trend. This once again proves that the notion of moderation under Hassan Rouhani is a total myth. But it also indicates the vulnerable and shaky state of a regime that cannot even tolerate private festivities of the people, particularly the youth. It is becoming more evident that the mullahs are totally paranoid of any social gathering in fear of a popular uprising.”

Last month, the regime arrested 150 boys and girls for attending a mixed-gender birthday party near the capital Tehran.

The arrests took place at an overnight party in a garden in the vicinity of Islamshahr, south-west of Tehran, according to Colonel Mohsen Khancherli, the regime's police commander for the west of Tehran Province.

Khancherli told the Tasnim news agency, affiliated to the regime's terrorist Revolutionary Guards Quds Force, on July 25: "After we obtained a report about a mixed-gender party in a garden in the vicinity of Islamshahr in the west of Tehran Province, an operation was carried out by the police and another organization, leading to the arrest of dozens of boys and girls."

"Some 150 boys and girls had gathered at the mixed-gender party under the guise of a birthday party in this garden which is situated next to a studio where unlawful music was produced and recorded. Upon arrival of the police, all those present were arrested and sent before the judiciary," he said.

Khancherli claimed that given the popularity of gardens in the west of Tehran Province, the regime's suppressive state security forces (police) are constantly monitoring venues and gardens in that area, with police commanders carrying out snap inspections of sites.

"With the arrival of summer, the police surveillance at these sites will be stepped up," he added.

This followed news days earlier that more than 50 young Iranians were arrested by the regime's suppressive state security forces at a party near Tehran.

The Tasnim news agency reported on July 22 the arrest of more than 50 young men and women at a party in the town of Davamand, east of Tehran.

Tasnim quoted Mojtaba Vahedi, the head of the regime's judiciary in Damavand, as saying that the organizers of the party had invited people to attend via online social networks.

Vahedi added security forces initially monitored the social sphere and after carrying out the necessary investigations obtained a warrant to clamp down on the party and arrest the party-goers.

Judicial files have been opened against those arrested at the party, Vahedi said. He added: "Families must be more vigilant regarding their children to make sure they do not end up in such circumstances."

Some 35 young men and women were flogged in May for taking part in a mixed-gender party after their graduation ceremony near Qazvin city, some 140 kilometers northwest of Tehran, the regime's Prosecutor in the city said on May 26.

Ismaeil Sadeqi Niaraki, a notorious mullah, said a special court session was held after all the young men and women at the party were rounded up, the Mizan news agency, affiliated to the fundamentalist regime's judiciary, reported on May 26.

"After we received information that a large number of men and women were mingling in a villa in the suburbs of Qazvin ... all the participants at the party were arrested," he said.

Niaraki added that the following morning every one of those detained received 99 lashes as punishment by the so-called 'Morality Police.'

According to Niaraki, given the social significance of mixed-gender partying, "this once again required a firm response by the judiciary in quickly reviewing and implementing the law."

"Thanks God that the police questioning, investigation, court hearing, verdict and implementation of the punishment all took place in less than 24 hours," Niaraki added.

The regime’s prosecutor claimed that the judiciary would not tolerate the actions of “law-breakers who use excuses such as freedom and having fun in birthday parties and graduation ceremonies.”

Similar raids have been carried out on mixed-gender parties across Iran in recent months.