Security Forces Arrest and Disappear Tehran Artist Zara Esmaeili

Hengaw; Friday, August 2, 2024

Zara Esmaeili, an artist and singer residing in Tehran, whose videos of her street performances without compulsory hijab had recently been widely circulating on social networks, has been arrested by the Iranian security forces.

According to a report received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, in recent days, Zara Esmaeili, a young artist and singer residing in Tehran, has been arrested by security forces, and after several days, no information is available about her whereabouts or condition.

A well-informed source confirmed this news to Hengaw, stating that "the efforts of Zara's family to find out her fate and location have so far been unsuccessful."

As of the time this news was compiled, there is no precise information available about her fate, whereabouts, or the reasons and charges attributed to this young artist.

It is noteworthy that Zara Esmaeili had attracted significant attention from social media users with her street performances and even in public places such as the metro, parks, etc., without compulsory hijab.

According to reports received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, recently, #Zara_Esmaili, an artist residing in Tehran whose street performances without mandatory hijab had recently been widely circulated and attracted popular attention on social media, ..#xaraxmusic pic.twitter.com/aOsqlx83Y7

— Hengaw Organization for Human Rights (@Hengaw_English) August 2, 2024