An Iranian court has sentenced a young couple who danced in front of one of Tehran's main monuments to more than 10 years in prison. Their video was considered a symbol of opposition to the regime, activists said.
Astiyazh Haghighi and her fiance, Amir Mohammad Ahmadi, both in their early 20s, were arrested in early November after a video of them dancing romantically in front of the Azadi Tower went viral.
Haghighi did not wear a headscarf, contrary to Iran's strict rules. Women are also not allowed to dance in public, let alone with a man.
The court in Tehran sentenced them to 10 years and six months in prison, and banned them from using the Internet and leaving Iran, the US Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said.
HRANA quoted sources close to their families as saying that they had not been allowed to have lawyers during the court proceedings and efforts to secure bail had been rejected.
Iranian authorities have cracked down on all forms of protest since the death of Mahsa Amini in September. The death of Amini, who was arrested for violating the dress code and allegedly beaten to death, sparked protests that have turned into an anti-regime movement.
At least 14,000 people have been arrested, according to the United Nations, ranging from celebrities, journalists and lawyers to ordinary people who took to the streets.
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