Iran: Arrest of 35 People for a “Satanist Gathering”
Authorities in Iran have arrested 35 people during a raid targeting a “gathering of a satanist network” in the Khuzestan province in southwest Iran, as reported by a local media outlet on Saturday.
The raid took place after the police “identified the location” of the gathering, which included “signs and symbols of satanism, alcohol, and drugs,” according to the Iranian news agency Isna.
In total, “31 men and four women present at the scene” were taken into custody and referred to judicial authorities, Isna reported, citing Ruhollah Yaarizadeh, the police chief of Dezful city in Khuzestan.
Iranian authorities generally equate rock music concerts, especially hard rock, which are banned in the Islamic Republic, with satanic ceremonies. Alcohol consumption is also strictly prohibited in this Muslim country.
In mid-May, the police arrested over 250 people, including three Europeans, west of the capital, Tehran, for similar reasons.
In 2007, the police arrested around 230 individuals who had attended an illegal rock concert near Tehran, accusing them of being part of a Satan worshipper group.
With AFP