The state security forces arrested 13 young men and women for what they called “having fun and drinking alcohol” in a restaurant cafe in Tehran.
The state-run Rokna news agency reported today that the state security forces surrounded the restaurant in Tehranpars district at 10 pm Thursday, and arrested 13 young men and women who were drinking “alcohol” and smoking hookah, along with the owners of the cafe.
According to the report, the cafe is sealed-off and additional investigations are ongoing in this case.
Despite the many problems Iranians and the economy face, officials, and the clerics at the very top of the regime prioritize cracking down on civil liberties instead of solving real problems.
Violating privacy of Iranian citizens, Iranian authorities systematically raid private parties or restaurants arresting and sometimes flogging citizens under the guise of being improper veiled or drinking alcohol.
In late March, The Head of Dezful’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department in southwestern Iran said the managers of a tour group were arrested for “mixing genders, improper appearance and dancing”.
“The tour group had come to Lake Shahyun from another province without permission or coordination with tourism officials and law enforcement. They were arrested upon orders of the Provincial Security Council,” Mehdi Chenari, the Head of the Dezful Department of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts said yesterday according to the state-run IRNA News Agency.
The report did not specify the number of detainees and their identities.
Last February, the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor of the northeastern city of Tabas said that “tourists” were lashed for drinking alcohol on a tour.
“According to article 264 and 265 in the Islamic Penal Code, (drinking alcohol) is punishable by 80 lashes, which was carried out today in this case,” Amir Zare’ Hosseini said without specifying how many people were lashed.
