Iranians in ‘Happy’ Video Sentenced

Six Iranian youths who were arrested for dancing in an Internet video to the American pop song Happy have been given suspended sentences of jail time and 91 lashes.

Lawyers for the six say their clients received six-month suspended prison sentences, while a seventh person received a one-year suspended sentence for helping to post the video online.

They say the suspended sentences means the punishments will not be carried out unless the defendants commit another crime.

The video shows three men and three women, who are not wearing headscarves, dancing together on Tehran rooftops and alleyways, and lip synching to Pharrell Williams’ hit song Happy.

The video went viral and now has been watched more than 1 million times.

The six dancers and the video’s director were arrested in May, attracting international attention.

Following the arrests, Williams said it is “beyond sad these kids were arrested for trying to spread happiness.”

 

 

 

leave a reply: