Iranian models arrested for posing on Instagram with hair on show
A famous Iranian model has been arrested for posing on Instagram with her hair on show in a sting under which Kim Kardashian has been accused of being a spy.
Elham Arab is one of various models who have been detained in an effort by police to stop “un-Islamic acts” such as showing their hair.
Arab was named among the ‘Spider II’ sting, which has named as many as 170 Instagram pages.
Among those named in the sting were models, photographers, make-up artists and designers.
Kim Kardashian was accused of a secret conspiracy backed by Instagram aiming to corrupt women in the Middle East.
Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom was accused of conspiring with the Kardashian to corrupt women.
Arab was interrogated on camera at the Iranian Revolutionary Court. Appearing in the court she had her hair covered with a black chador.
She said: “All people love beauty and fame… They would like to be seen, but it is important to know what price they will pay to be seen.”
The model is known for her long blonde hair and for posing in bridal fashion shoots on social media, was charged by the court with “promoting western promiscuity”.
She apologised for the photos which she posted to Instagram in which she did not have her hair covered.
Her interrogation was aired on Iranian television.
Others, including couple Elnaz Golrokh and Hamid Fadaei, who have 850,000 followers have fled Iran and are now living in Dubai.
Hadi Ghaemi, the executive director of the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, said: “This kind of stifling and intimidation will only deprive Iranians of the cultural and artistic vitality that is rightfully theirs and further alienate the country’s youth.”
“The Revolutionary Guards’ assault on Iran’s fashion industry testifies to the fear of hardliners who try to control every aspect of people’s lives and squash any visible challenge to their narrow world view.”
Wearing of the hijab by all women has been compulsory in Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution when strict Islamic law was introduced.
