In Iran, opposing the power in place is difficult without consequences. Nearly a year after the beginning of the protest movement triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini, Iranian pop singer Mehdi Yarrahi is being prosecuted for having broadcast a song against the obligation to wear the veil. “Following the broadcasting of an illegal song challenging the morals and customs of Muslim society by Mehdi Yarrahi, legal action has been taken against him,” the judiciary’s press organ, Mizan Online, reported on Sunday. .
The 41-year-old singer, who lives in Tehran, posted on Friday the piece Roosarito (“Your scarf” in Persian) and a three-minute clip in favor of the “optional veil” by dedicating it to the “courageous Iranian women” who participated in the protest movement. Born in the Arabic-speaking province of Khuzestan, in the south-west, Mehdi Yarrahi regularly supports on his Instagram account the protest triggered in September 2022 by the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who died after being arrested by the morality police who reproached for not having respected the obligation of the veil. His song Soroode Zan (“Anthem of women” in Persian), released in early October, had become an anthem for protesters, especially in universities.
Historical events
Hundreds of people, including dozens of members of the security forces, were killed during the protests in the fall. Thousands of demonstrators were also arrested, accused by the authorities of participating in “riots” fomented by Western countries. Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, the wearing of the veil has been compulsory for all women, who must hide their hair in public places. However, more and more women have been appearing bareheaded in the big cities for a year.
In 2018, Mehdi Yarrahi received the prize for best pop singer at the Fajr festival, the country’s most important musical event organized by the government. He criticized the authorities several times in his concerts, in particular for the discrimination against the inhabitants of Khuzestan.