Iran: Happy video dancers sentenced to 91 lashes and jail

[EX500rider]

Source: BBC

Six Iranians arrested for appearing in a video dancing to Pharrell Williams' song Happy have been sentenced to up to one year in prison and 91 lashes, their lawyer says.

The sentences were suspended for three years, meaning they will not go to prison unless they reoffend, he adds.

The video shows three men and three unveiled women dancing on the streets and rooftops of Tehran.

In six months, it has been viewed by over one million people on YouTube

Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29272732

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Way to go Iran......how modern & progressive of you..... : (

[Orrex]

1. Did Robin Thicke try to take credit for it?

[candelista]

2. You have to think about God all the time.

Dancing interferes with this. And anyone who thinks otherwise, e.g., a Sufi, is a heretic.

[yuiyoshida]

3. This

[ReRe]

7. I love those kids...

... all so beautiful and full of life! I hadn't seen this lately... thanks for including it They better not lay a hand on any of them, damnit. My sister and I might have to go over there straighten that country out, once and for all.

[surrealAmerican]

18. Great video!

There is hope for Iran if they represent even a small percentage of their generation.

[Nolimit]

4. How dystopian...

If you are happy in Iran you will be punished.

[valerief]

5. How Footloose of them. nt

[Hoppy]

6. Sick fucks... and I don't mean the dancers.

[EX500rider]

8. Apparently "Happy in Tehran" is a no-no....how "1984"ish

[TwilightGardener]

9. NO JOY ALLOWED!!

Fun people over there.

[seveneyes]

10. Is this another "Non Religious" aspect of the Middle East?

Either way, piss on the tyrants.

[uppityperson]

16. It is another Fundamentalist aspect of religion indeed. To hell with the tyrants

[SoapBox]

11. There is to be no fun!

...just be fucking miserable.

We, the Angry Men, order the rest of your to never be happy.

[freshwest]

20. That's it... Break those free spirits.

[Sunlei]

12. Those poor people,even worse for the woman. The Iran Gov is an EVIL! unhappy Religion.

[riderinthestorm]

13. Sick. Just sick. Nt

[msongs]

14. religion strikes again nt

[zonkers]

15. Too bad orig. headline does not inform us it is a SUSPENDED sentence.

[Skinner]

21. Yes, the real villain here is the headline writer.

How nice of Iran to not lash and jail people if they promise not to dance for three years.

[zonkers]

24. No, but anyone not clicking through to article is left with the false notion

that the sentences are a fait accompli. Also, lost on the reader is any notion that Iranian government may have blinked and backed off in order to avoid turning these dancers into martyrs.

[knightmaar]

17. Paging Kevin Bacon ...

... paging Dr. Kevin Bacon.

We have a Situation Footloose.

[robbob]

19. I wonder if they are still happy

to be in Tehran?

[modrepub]

22. The floggings will continue

until moral improves....

[reorg]

23. I didn't see nothing vulgar

but I'm glad it's only a suspended sentence and the verdict will not be carried out.


Great series, BTW

Happy in Tehran We are from Tehran With Love

HAPPY Pharrrell Williams, Lower Subukia, Kenya, Africa (Mali dom)

Pharrel Williams Happy (Moscow Edition)

Pharrell Williams - Happy (We are happy from Cotonou) #HAPPYDAY

Pharrell Williams # HAPPY # BERLIN - Die neue BERLINER VERSION

[Uncle Joe]

25. Well it's a good thing they weren't dancing to Foghat's "Slowride"

That would probably merit execution.

Iran's government seriously needs to wake the hell up, what a bunch of draconian, dumb asses.

Thanks for the thread, EX500rider.

[shenmue]

26. No smiling!

Booo!

[RKP5637]

27. Such a fucken depressing place! n/t

[Ash_F]

28. Are they still going to be lashed?

The article is not clear.

[mb999]

29. That's life in a theo-crazy

Keep religion out of the government.