Following distribution of a music video for ‘Welat’ (‘Homeland’) by Kurdish artist Elî Kerîmî from North Khorasan, four individuals associated with the production were taken into custody by Iranian authorities.
Sound engineer and studio manager Hasan Taghizadeh, producer Ali Delfaraz, production manager Hossein Firouzeh and cameraman Celal Barat Zadeh were detained after being summoned by local intelligence units.
Iranian authorities subsequently cordoned off the associated Taghizadeh recording studio in the city of Esfarayen, where the video was shot.
Kurdish artists in the Khorasan region, including Elî Kerîmî, frequently face threats from Iranian authorities for the incorporation of Kurdish culture and attire into their works.
