Iranian Couple Sentenced To 21 Years For Dancing In Support Of Protests

An Iranian court has sentenced two bloggers to ten and a half years in prison each for dancing in the streets in support of the nationwide protests which have swept the country since September.

The couple – Amir Mohammad Ahmadi, 22 and Astiyazh Haqiqi, 21 – shared a video of themselves dancing Azadi Square in Iran’s capital Tehran to show support for the protests after the death of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in custody of the Iranian morality police.

They were arrested on November 10 when plainclothes agents beat and transferred them to ward 209 of the Ministry of Intelligence in the notorious Evin prison in Tehran.

Besides the jail term, a two-year ban to use social media, and a two-year ban on leaving Iran has also been imposed on the couple. They have been charged with “encouraging corruption and public prostitution”.

The couple have also been charged with “colluding with the intention of disrupting national security and promoting propaganda.”

The two were deprived of having access to a lawyer, and their request to be released on bail was turned down.

The Islamic Republic has used draconian punishments in dealing with the protest movement.

Activists say regime forces have killed over 520 people and arrested about 20,000 so far. Four young men have also been hanged by the clerical rulers amid international outcries.