Iranian singer gets summons over solo performance

Doosuur Iwambe

An Iranian female singer, Negar Moazzam has been summoned to appear in court after performing solo in public.

According to reports, Negar Moazzam sang for a group of tourists in the historic village of Abyaneh last week, wearing the traditional costume of that part of Isfahan Province, until local Cultural Heritage Organisation staff cut short her performance.

Moazzam uploaded a video on social media, where it was quickly noticed by fans and the authorities alike – her Instagram account alone has more than 180,000 followers.

The video has disappeared from her platforms since prosecutors in the county town of Natanz announced the court summons, but it has been widely reposted elsewhere.

The chief prosecutor of Isfahan Province, Ali Esfahani, confirmed that his office had opened an investigation into reports of “a woman singing solo”.