“While using #MahsaAmini might seem like keyboard activism, Iranians see the world’s attention is on them and they appreciate it,” said Dagres. Ali Saaedi Shahroudi, a former representative of the Supreme Leader of Revolutionary Guards, called for an organization to oversee the behavior of musicians, actors and sports stars, similar to institutions regulating professional groups.īut the damage may have already been done.Īlthough Hajipour was forced to remove his song from Instagram, it continues to reverberate, sung by everyone from Iranian school girls to protesters in European capitals.Ī campaign is under way to nominate the song for a Grammy, in the best song for social change category. The ruling establishment clearly sees danger in celebrities’ wide reach. On Instagram, Angelina Jolie posted a photo of a protester holding up an image of Amini and wrote, “To the women of Iran, we see you.” “Millions of girls are now Mahsa Amini,” she wrote in a recent post.Ĭelebrities outside of Iran have also raised their voices, from Dua Lipa and Shakira to the fashion house Balenciaga. Still, she continues to share images in support of the protests. “Celebrities - be it athletes, actors, singers or artists - have a large following inside Iran, particularly on social media, and their support gives life to these protests,” she said.Īctress Hediye Tehrani said Iranian security had warned her about her posts to her nearly 1 million Instagram followers. Holly Dagres, an Iranian-American non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council, said the attempts to intimidate public figures were no surprise. Iran has a vibrant scene of singers and actors, as well as sports stars, who are closely followed by the public. Others were questioned and released.īut their popularity has also made it difficult to crack down too hard on them - in contrast to protest activists whom security forces have arrested in large numbers. Since the protests took off - and expanded from anger at Amini’s death to a complete challenge to the 43-year-old rule by conservative Islamic clerics - a string of celebrities have faced reprisals, from singers and soccer players to news anchors.Īt least seven public figures have been detained inside the country, most of whom were released on bail and could face charges, according to Iranian news outlets. New Iraqi PM hopes to continue fostering Iran-Saudi dialogue
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