A music track in Iran has caught the attention of the Iranian regime for promoting women’s freedom and urging them to toss away their mandatory hijabs. On Sunday, Iran’s judiciary announced that authorities have launched legal action against the artist behind the song.
On Friday, Mehdi Yarrahi released a song titled ‘Roosarito,’ which translates to “Your Headscarf” in Farsi. The track stands in support of the protests against hijab rules that rocked the country last year after Mahsa Amini’s death in the custody of the morality police, DW reported.
Yarrahi’s song exhorts listeners to “take off their (head)scarves” and tells authorities that wearing the hijab must be a choice that Iranians can autonomously make. The music video features women dancing with unveiled hair and raising slogans such as “Woman, life, freedom.”
Merely two days after the song’s release, the Iranian judiciary announced on its official website on Sunday that “a legal case was filed against Mehdi Yarrahi following the release of an illegal song” on the grounds that the track “defies the morals and customs of the Islamic society.”
Mehdi Yarrahi issues statement after landing in trouble over song
Following this, Yarrahi took to his X handle and told his supporters to not fret. Instead, he urged them to continue raising their voice against oppression and injustice. The 41-year-old also called himself “the nightmare” of the judge behind the case. “Don’t cry, I am the nightmare of this judge Be the voice of #ایذه and say continuously about the anniversary of the murder of #MahsaAmini Woman of freedom life.”
Over the years, Yarrahi has been felicitated with several awards for his work. In 2018, he won the prize for the best pop singer at the Fajr festival, Iran’s top-most music event organised by the government. However, he has also faced criticism for his tracks, specifically those that amplify women’s rights.
‘Soroode Zan’ or “Woman’s Anthem” became a hit among protesters last year, particularly in universities. According to the judiciary, the legal action against him will also include the track. Yarrahi has also been condemned for stating that people in Khuzestan, his native province with a large Arab minority, are being marginalised.
Source » republicworld