In May, police in Tehran arrested seven young Iranians for making a "a vulgar clip which hurt public chastity" and uploading it to YouTube. The clip was them dancing and being goofy to the Pharrell Williams song "Happy," joining people from all over the world in heeding Williams' call to upload video demonstrations of being happy for the U.N.'s International Day of Happiness.
On Wednesday, judges in Tehran sentenced six of the performers to six months in prison and 91 lashes each, and the video's director to a year in jail and 91 lashes. Luckily, their lawyer tells IranWire, the sentences appear to be suspended, meaning the punishments won't be enacted unless the young men and women commit a similar "offense" in the next three years. In three years, the sentence expires.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
‘Social media is the new tabloid’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Can the NBA survive FBI’s gambling investigation?Talking Points A casualty of the ‘sports gambling revolution’
-
How are ICE’s recruitment woes complicating Trump’s immigration agenda?TODAY’S BIG QUESTION Lowered training standards and ‘athletically allergic’ hopefuls are hindering the White House plan to turn the Department of Homeland Security into a federal police force
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstancesSpeed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governorSpeed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditionsSpeed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billionSpeed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on recordSpeed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homesSpeed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creatureSpeed Read
