Iran media says, 120 party-goers arrested in north region

• 120 people were arrested for violating Iran’s  segregation and morality rules at a party.
• Under Islamic law in force in Iran since 1979, women must wear a hijab that covers the head and neck while concealing the hair.
• Many women have pushed the boundaries by allowing their veils to slide back and reveal more hair.

120 people were arrested for violating segregation of Iran and morality rules at a party in the forest in the northern province of Mazandaran on Sunday, According to state media.

“Members of this illegal tour… were arrested by the morality police, and a lawsuit was filed,” provincial judiciary chief Mohammad Sadegh Akbari was quoted as saying by state broadcaster IRIB.

Akbari said the “criminal acts” conducted in a forest near the city of Neka included “drinking alcohol, having illicit relationships, mixed-sex dancing and uncovering the hijab”.

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Iranians, seeking reprieve from the hustle and bustle of city life, often choose the north of the country as a destination for sightseeing and enjoying their free time.

Under Islamic law in force in Iran since its 1979 revolution, women must wear a hijab that covers the head and neck while concealing the hair.

But many women have pushed the boundaries over the past two decades by allowing their veils to slide back and reveal more hair, especially in Tehran and other major cities.

Under Iranian law, only non-Muslim citizens are permitted to consume alcohol for religious purposes, while dancing with the opposite sex is forbidden.

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In April, Iranian police arrested three young women after a video of them dancing in a cemetery surfaced online.

Single-sex dancing is not illegal in Iran, but if someone dances in public or on the internet in a way that offends public decency, they may face prosecution, according to legal experts.