Thirty-eight women and 27 men were arrested at a birthday party in Mashhad, capital of the northeastern province of Razavi Khorassan.
Most of the persons participating in this birthday party were relatives.
One of those arrested asked the judge, “Is it a crime to be happy? We were holding a birthday party for a friend of ours, when the agents broke into the house and arrested us.” (The state-run Shahrara website – February 6, 2018)
In January 2016, Tehran’s Prosecutor announced that violations committed by halls, fitness clubs and night parties would be dealt with. Subsequently, many night parties were raided by the security forces and a large number arrested. (State-run Alef website, July 25, 2016 – State-run Asr-e Khabar website, July 26, 2016)