Arrest of Hiwa Saifizadeh and Crackdown on Popular Shows Highlight Cultural Repression in Iran

On the night of February 27, 2025, Iranian authorities apprehended Hiwa Saifizadeh—an Iranian classical singer, tombak player, theater performer, and music instructor—mid-performance at Emarat Rooberoo in Tehran. According to witnesses, plainclothes security personnel entered the venue after her first piece. Soon into her second piece, they cut the sound and ended the concert. Emarat Rooberoo, which functions as a cultural café with a bookstore, gallery, and theater area, subsequently announced its closure “until further notice.” It was not the first time the establishment has faced government enforcement; previously, it had been shut down for allegedly disregarding “Islamic norms.”

Born on November 5, 1997 (14 Aban 1376), Saifizadeh is acclaimed for her mastery of traditional Iranian music and her skill playing the tombak. In 2014 (1393), she earned recognition at the Khorram Music Festival, and from 2021 to 2022 (1400–1401), she joined the Rastak Ensemble for performances in Sulaymaniyah and Erbil in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region. Saifizadeh has worked with multiple musical groups, including Avaye Mehrabani, Moje No and Rastak. In 2021 (1400), she performed at Canada’s Tirgan Festival.

Saifizadeh was also excluded from an international “Maqam” music contest in neighboring Azerbaijan, where Iranian officials denied her permission to participate as a female vocalist, resulting in her replacement by a male singer. These harsh restrictions on female singers are often justified by Iranian authorities under Shiite jurisprudence, which deems “lascivious or morally corrupt” singing impermissible. However, many prominent Iranian musicians have vehemently opposed such rules.

Prior to his death in 2020, Mohammad-Reza Shajarian criticized the prohibition of women’s solo singing as “eliminating half the capacity of Iranian music.” Likewise, composer and tar virtuoso Hossein Alizadeh has frequently asserted that there is “no convincing reason” to bar women’s voices. Despite official claims that these prohibitions adhere to religious principles, numerous devout Muslims—including certain clerics—regard them as overly strict and unjust.

In late February 2025, just days before Saifizadeh’s arrest, Iranian authorities intensified their efforts to regulate social events and digital platforms. Majid Feyz Jafari, chief of the Public Security Police (FARAJA), reported taking “action” against 15 organizers of popular “blind date” shows. These shows, broadcast on platforms like YouTube and Instagram, show strangers meeting one another and have grown in popularity, particularly among younger audiences. Citing “social and moral harms,” the police blocked or removed the Instagram accounts hosting these meetups, most notably “ViniVidz,” which had amassed over 1.2 million followers. Although platforms like Instagram and YouTube are officially prohibited in Iran, people often bypass these restrictions through VPNs, exploring dating approaches via shows such as “Ex Date” and “Balloon Date,” which frequently clash with conservative social norms.

State efforts to control cultural content extends to streaming services as well. On February 23, 2025 (5 Esfand 1403), the judiciary-affiliated agency Mizan announced that the historical drama “Tasian” would no longer be available on the Filimo platform due to what it called a “lack of production and broadcast permits.” Directed by Tina Pakravan, Tasian is set in the years before the 1979 revolution, and its debut on February 8 drew swift censure from conservative officials. Commentators suggest the ban aimed to reinforce state television’s audience. Critics like film analyst Massoud Farasati condemned this censorship, saying it impedes the creation of high-quality productions and distances viewers from government-run media.

Viewed together—Saifizadeh’s detention, the suppression of blind-date events, and the removal of Tasian—illustrates the Iranian government’s efforts to police Iranian culture in line with their perceived view of “Islamic norms.” Yet observers note that some practicing Muslims, including senior religious figures, disapprove of such harsh measures. The broader public, particularly women and younger generations, continue to resist governmental dictates, bolstered by the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement during the nationwide protests of 2022–2023. In open defiance of mandatory hijab laws and related cultural constraints, many Iranians turn to social media, underground music, and alternative forms of entertainment, often at considerable personal risk.

Nevertheless, artists and activists—Saifizadeh among them—remain steadfast in exercising their creative and expressive rights. In her own words:

“People have no right to decide whether another person gets to use their God-given talent. Too many people die without ever living the talents they have—and that’s a tragedy for us all.”