Isfahan Municipality Official Imprisoned for Organizing Family Football Viewing Program
One of Isfahan Municipality’s officials, who broadcast Iran and Morocco’s World Cup match in a family setting without gender segregation at the Sepahan tourism complex on Mount Sofeh, has been transferred to Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan to serve his sentence.
Ali Moieni, a reformist political activist and CEO of Sepahan Tourism Development Company, affiliated with Isfahan Municipality, went to prison on Saturday, March 2, to serve his sentence, amid unofficial reports indicating he was convicted for broadcasting football among the city’s residents without gender segregation in the Mount Sofeh tourism area of Isfahan.
He had previously announced on his Twitter account that he received three summonses and complaints due to organizing this program.
Fars News Agency, a media outlet close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported that the sentence issued against Mr. Moieni was for “insulting high-ranking officials of the country” on Twitter and was related to a period before his appointment at Sepahan Tourism Development Company.
Fars News Agency’s claim comes as organizing the family football broadcast in Isfahan generated significant controversy from hardliners, to the extent that Mojtaba Mir-Damadi, the temporary Friday Prayer Leader of Isfahan, described it as the spread of “vice in an Islamic country.”
Domestic Iranian media reported in June of this year about Ali Moieni’s summons to judicial authorities.
The Islamic Republic has opposed broadcasting football matches in public places without gender segregation for years and also does not allow women to be present alongside men in stadiums.
Source: Voice of America
