Iran says arrested 313 for New Year debauchery

Iran says arrested 313 for New Year debauchery
REUTERS

TEHRAN, JAN 7: Iran said the tally of arrests from a crackdown on drinking alcohol and debauchery at New Year's eve parties had topped 300.

The Iran newspaper quoting a judiciary statement, said on Sunday that 313 people were arrested at two separate parties in the rich suburbs of northern Tehran. Previous reports had put the number of those detained at 262.

After an investigation and surveillance, police discovered ``gangs organising corruption and prostitution'' and raided ``houses of disrepute and arrested the hosts who had fooled young and ignorant girls in order to spread corruption'', the newspaper said.

``Among the arrested were a number of foreign capitalists, two persons affiliated to a foreign embassy in Tehran, two European women and a number of people with previous convictions for moral indecency,'' it said.

The Kuwaiti Embassy in Tehran has repeatedly denied reports that one of its diplomats was among those arrested. Bahrain has also denied reports that one of its diplomats was arrested.

Drinking alcohol is forbidden for Muslims and men and women not from the same family are not allowed to dance together.

``A large number of the girls were under 18 and their families have filed suit against the hosts for luring their daughters into debauchery,'' the judiciary statement said.

Despite the strict rules, Western-style parties in wealthy Tehran neighbourhoods are a regular occurrence. In recent years they have rarely been raided by police or Basij militia.