Cut your hair or we'll do it for you

This video was sent to us on Sunday by our Iranian Observer, blogger Arash Kamangir, who says that the young man in the clip has been arrested for having long hair. The video has provoked strong reactions on the Iranian blogosphere and floods of comments on YouTube. We don't know where or when it was filmed yet, but the men's uniforms seem to be those of the Iranian police force. We'll try to provide further information during the course of the day. Warning, you might find the images upsetting.

UPDATE 1 (10.03.08 - 4pm): The link to the video was first posted on Balatarin, a Farsi site where web-users vote on the quality of publications. And so the polemic began. The video has already been watched 34,000 times on YouTube, resulting in many strong reactions. Some say the video is fake, others say that it's not rare for young Iranians to have their heads' shaved because long hair is seen as too western. We still don't know who the man is or why he was being grilled.

Video posted on YouTube 3 March 08

Comments

Fake video

Submitted by Afghan LORD (not verified) on Fri, 14/03/2008 - 21:33.

it seems fake not real. This video is made by these people, this seems more joke rather than a real video.

Unregistered user

Well, couple of days has

Submitted by Arash Kamangir on Fri, 14/03/2008 - 21:38.

Well, couple of days has passed since the video was posted here, and there hasn't been a proof that it is fake yet.

Arash Kamangir

Canada
Blogger

repetitive comments

Submitted by Team Observers on Wed, 12/03/2008 - 00:20.

It seems we have plenty of comments repeating exactly the same thing. Reading the introduction of this piece and our various comments below, you will see that we made it very clear what we know, and what we don't know, about this video. Some comments assert that it has been staged, others that it is genuine. But so far nobody has given any evidence that the video is fake. So please do not make repetitive comments. Try to enrich the discussion and do not make personal attacks. Thanks in advance.

Team Observers

France
Journaliste

Apology

Submitted by Bakhtiari (not verified) on Wed, 12/03/2008 - 19:20.

France 24 should apologise for publishing such a disgusting anti-Iranian propaganda.

Unregistered user

Just becuase it is not

Submitted by Anonyme (not verified) on Tue, 25/03/2008 - 03:02.

Just becuase it is not sufficiently ass kissing to iran does not mean its propaganda.

Unregistered user

To my understanding, there

Submitted by Arash Kamangir on Wed, 12/03/2008 - 19:53.

To my understanding, there needs to be proof that this is "propaganda".

Arash Kamangir

Canada
Blogger

Fake vid

Submitted by Reza Inverse (not verified) on Tue, 11/03/2008 - 22:49.

This is a fake video for two reasons: 1- The uniform of the two actors does not match the real Iranian Polic uniform, 2- Even the head of Great Tehran Police is not that brave to do this in front of camera. He was arrested because of illegal action and replaced. How possible that these two actors do not show any fear from doing this in front of camera, when they are aware of it. See the camera man or the cellphone recorder approaches very close to film the hair burning zone clearly!!!

Unregistered user

what we have here is the

Submitted by Anonyme (not verified) on Wed, 12/03/2008 - 10:20.

what we have here is the usual fight between pro and anti Republic of Iran. This video is no longer important, but each side is trying to make propaganda for its ideology. I don't know if the video it's genuine or not. But that's no longer the issue here.

Unregistered user