Iranian police arrest two women for dancing at martyr's cemetery

The police stated that the women "disregarded the sacred site" by inappropriately dancing and engaging in "movements that were outside of custom and Sharia" Islamic law.

Iranian police arrested two young women after a video surfaced showing them dancing at a martyr’s cemetery in Tehran, in violation of the country’s strict dress code.

The video, filmed at the Martyrs’ Cemetery, a site honoring Iran’s deceased soldiers, quickly spread across social media, sparking outrage, particularly among the families of the martyrs. In response, the Iranian police traced the women and took them into custody.

On January 24, the police issued a press statement, condemning the women’s actions. The statement claimed the women had “disregarded the sacred site” by dancing inappropriately and engaging in movements that violated “custom and Sharia” Islamic law.

“Not long ago, two people in the cemetery of martyrs in Tehran recorded a video with inappropriate clothing and movements that were outside of custom and Sharia,” the statement read, according to the Tasnim news agency.

Under Iranian law, women are required to wear the hijab and cover their hair and neck with loose-fitting attire, in line with Islamic dress standards, a mandate in place since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Public dancing is also prohibited under these religious laws.

In Tehran and other major cities, many women have been challenging mandatory hijab laws, with some wearing loose or clearly visible headscarves in protest.

Iran Suspends Controversial Hijab Law Amid Growing Protests

Last year, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council suspended the enforcement of a highly controversial hijab law that would have penalized women failing to adhere to the Islamic dress code. This decision came in response to rising protests both within Iran and internationally.

Alireza Salimi, a member of parliament's presiding board, announced that the government plans to propose further amendments to clarify the law’s enforcement. A previously planned law, which was set to take effect on December 13, aimed to impose heavy fines, up to 84 million Iranian rials (approximately USD 2,000), on women not complying with the dress code.