A young female artist in Iran was arrested for singing in public spaces without a hijab, which violates both the Islamic Republic’s mandatory hijab law and bans on singing in public.
Iran's security forces have arrested Zara Esmaeili, a young Iranian woman whose videos of singing in public went viral.
In Iran, it is illegal for women to sing or dance in public. pic.twitter.com/bMOQLH4fb2— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) August 3, 2024
Zara Esmaeili, a young singer who went viral for performing without the hijab in public spaces such as metro stations and parks, was arrested and taken into custody, with no information available as to her whereabouts.
Esmaeili’s arrest left her family in despair as they struggled to ascertain the young artist’s fate, with a source familiar with the situation confirming that “Zara's family has been unable to locate her.”
Faravaz Farvardin, an Iranian singer and activist who founded the Right to Sing campaign, condemned Esmaeili’s arrest, noting that “Iranian authorities often fabricate charges to justify their crackdown on female singers.”
.@Radiohead Zara Esmaeili in Tehran was arrested for singing your music in public. Please share her voice. Women have been choked from performing in Iran for 45 years. pic.twitter.com/0zICuXSZVh
— Samira Mohyeddin (@SMohyeddin) August 7, 2024
Farvardin, who is also based in Berlin, emphasized that “there is no legal basis for banning female singers,” showing the Iranian regime’s broader strategy to suppress dissent, crack down on artistic expression, and enforce gender segregation.
Esmaeili, who was arrested on August 3rd by Iranian security forces, had been known for singing in public spaces without a hijab. One of her videos showed her performing inside a train, while another showed her singing “Back to Black” by Amy Winehouse.
The Iranian government prohibits women from singing or dancing in public, which is rooted in conservative interpretations of Islamic law that deem female singing and dancing provocative and even sexually suggestive.
Zara Esmaeili's video was getting a lot of views on Instagram.
Unfortunately some of those views were from the police.
She has been arrested for singing & displaying her hair in public.
I hope they don't arrest that little girl for dancing.https://t.co/AvKe9l1kXf pic.twitter.com/gZxfOvvR3E— Biology Rules Ok (@OkayBiology) August 7, 2024
Despite these restrictions, which had been in place since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, many women in Iran continue to take risks, using social media to share their performances despite the possible dangers.
The incident is also part of a broader pattern of escalating repression in Iran, which mainly targets women and artists. Recent cases such as the arrest of dissident rapper Toomaj Salehi and Grammy Award-winning singer Shervin Hajipour show the harsh penalties faced by artists for challenging the Islamic Republic.
