A representative of a Persian newspaper in Toronto, Shahrvand, provided the following information during a telephone interview on 25 September 1996.

Generally speaking, dancing and music are haram (banned) in Islam. However, the ruling Islamic regime of Iran has not been able to fully impose this ban on the population. As a result, folklore music is performed at festivals. Regardless of the kind of dancing, men and women are not permitted to dance together or in front of each other, including at wedding parties. There is no legal framework that specifically stipulates penalties for violating this ban, nor is there any written law on the subject. Factors such as the circumstances under which the violators were arrested, the political, economic and social situation of the people arrested and the personality of the people in charge of each specific case determine the penalty for the respective violators.

A professor of anthropology specializing in Iranian issues at Concordia University in Montreal provided the following information during a telephone interview on 25 September 1996.

Regardless of the kind of dancing, dancing is illegal if it is performed in public places or at wedding parties and/or if men and women dance together or in front of each other. Dancing is not illegal if men and women dance in closed and segregated places.

During the first years of the Islamic regime, the Iranian government was trying to impose the Islamic code of conduct on Iranian tribes. Among other things, it put restrictions on their traditional celebrations, for example by banning traditional dances in which men and women dance together. These restrictions have continued to this date.

There is no specific penalty for violating this ban. The penalty is determined according to a variety of factors such as the place of violation, the circumstances of the violation, the character of the person in charge of each specific case and the interpretation by this person of the circumstances of violation. As a result, the penalty may range from a fine to a lashing or imprisonment.

A professor of political science specializing in Iranian affairs at the University of York in the United Kingdom provided the following information during a telephone interview on 30 September 1996.

Regardless of the sex of dancers, that is whether women dance with other women or men, it is illegal to dance in public, and it is illegal for men and women to dance together or in presence of the other sex. Women are permitted to dance only in presence of other women in closed places. While uncertain about the legality of folklore dances, the professor stated that if they are legal at all, they are likely to be legal for men only.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Professor of political science specializing in Iranian issues at the University of York, UK. 30 September 1996. Telephone interview.

Professor of sociology specializing in Iranian issues at Concordia University, Montreal. 25 September 1996. Telephone interview.

Shahrvand, Toronto. 25 September 1996. Telephone interview with representative.